Do Parents Understand? - Page 4

GMUBunny · #46 06-18-2003, 03:59 PM

First generation greek with a very religious father... when I joined he sounded pretty worried. I reassured him that we were founded on Christian principles and we don't have any weird sacrificial ceremonies, so he's okay with it now. My mom uses it as an excuse to brag to her friends. She even let me put a ZTA sticker on her car

. I ordered her a mother's pin for our Founders Day, but it hasn't come in yet. It'll be a year in September that I've been waiting for it.

veemers · #47 06-18-2003, 07:06 PM

I wasn't too sure what kind of reaction I would get from my parents, so I didn't tell them until after I had received my bid and was almost halfway done with pledging. The phone conversation went like this:

me: hi, dad! guess who's joining a sorority!
my dad: not you!!!
me: it's not a bad thing, it's good!
my dad: i'm not going to let you join a so-whore-ity!

After I promised that I wouldn't start drinking every weekend and having sex with random men

and that I wouldn't let the actives make me do anything stupid, he was a bit more supportive. But not entirely. My mother was even less supportive. "Your Aunt Mary was in a sorority when we were at MU. They made her dress in a housekeeper's uniform and sweep the sidewalk late at night! That's what is going to happen to you!" Of course, my parents fears were all ill-founded. They finally came around when I said, "Mom. Dad. This is me we're talking about. Would I really do anything like this without thinking about it? And would I really do anything that could potentially be bad in any aspect? I'm the smart daughter, remember?" But I still have problems talking about Theta stuff with them.

Amazingly enough, I got a lot of support from my grandmother. She was so pleased that I am the first of her grandchildren to join a GLO, and always asks me what's going on with my sisters when I see her. She understood more than my parents about the reasons why I would join a GLO.

CutiePie2000 · #48 06-18-2003, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by veemers
Amazingly enough, I got a lot of support from my grandmother. She was so pleased that I am the first of her grandchildren to join a GLO, and always asks me what's going on with my sisters when I see her.

Yay for grandma!

Tom Earp · #49 06-18-2003, 10:03 PM

Having know only one Grandma and one grandfather neither would have understood!

But Hooray for Your Granny! I would to meet her some day and have a Toddy with her!

Not a Mezzo · #50 07-08-2003, 01:39 AM

My dad didn't attend college and my mom didn't do much but study and play field hockey. My grandfather and great-aunt Susie were both Greek, though.

My great-aunt is probably the person I have to thank for my smooth road to Greekdom in the family, as a matter of fact. She was super-involved in her chapter, both as a collegiate and an alumna, as well as being involved in Panhellenic. She tried very hard to get my mom and her sisters to go Greek, but they didn't have much interest. I guess it just skipped a generation to me, which I am thankful for!

wishuweresigdel · #51 07-08-2003, 02:57 AM

i was the first person in my family to go greek and it was a bit of a fight. first of all my parents have 7 children and im the second youngest. i only have one sister who is older than me and 5 brothers. of course im the non-traditional one so my parents weren't all that surprised when they found out i wanted to rush but they were very surprised when i actually went through with it. it didnt really help that i was part of the founding chapter of sdt on my campus. my parents, however would always support me no matter what. i think that they dont actually approve of me being in a sorority, but they would never tell me. plus, they are starting to meet a lot more of my sisters and realizing that these are the most amazing women in the world. also, this past semester, i almost dropped out of school, but my sisters rallied around me and convinced me that i was just giving up on myself and letting something that happen ruin my life when i should turn it around and make me stronger so i know that my mom especially appreciates my sisters a million times more now for what they did for me.

as far as paying dues....my parents dont pay my tuition....of course they dont pay my dues. its my decision to do this so i should be paying for it. and no matter how expensive it gets...its always worth it because my sisters are the greatest people in the world to me!

Jadey28 · #52 07-08-2003, 04:15 AM

Neither of my parents were Greek, but it wasn't a big deal to them. They knew that I had been really active in high school and I think that they just looked at it as another club or organization for me to belong to. When they were invited to our family dinners and events, they truely began to understand how much I was "into" this group of people. My chapter has Father/Daughter events and Mother/Daughter events, so each parent had a chance to learn more about the sorority. Never did they look down on me for making my decision.

And as far as paying dues for the sorority...you joined, not them. Why should they pay YOUR dues? I swear some people are so pampered

enlightenment06 · #53 07-08-2003, 12:51 PM

My parents didn't know much about Greek life, especially not HBGLO's. They are generally supportive about my extracurricular activities so they were supportive about me joining a fraternity also. Once I showed them our website and explained our legacy they were happy I joined.

phisigdragonfly · #54 07-08-2003, 12:59 PM

Coming from a latina family, my mother still believes the sorority is some sort of a cult. I am the first generation to go to college so everything i do is a first in the family. She also seems very hurt when i talk about my sorority sisters because she says i only have one "true" sister. It is very hard to explain to her so i have just let it go.

Rio_Kohitsuji · #55 07-08-2003, 05:02 PM

Oh man...I'm -still- working on my family! When I first became associated w/a certain sorority my parent's were OK with it. Plus, I started dating TKE209 which helped things w/them on the greek subject. However, when I quit due to being hazed my mom HATED greeks, w/the exception of TKE209. She started watching SL 1 & 2, which increased her hatred for Greek Life. When I rushed some more sororities she was relaxed a little but not much. Now, with the KGD coming up, she's much more happier since I'm letting her in the process a bit.

Dad's opinion: "So...it's a bunch of girls that sit around talking about boys and makeup, right?"
Mom: "Well honey, just as long as your grades don't go down"
My 4 older sisters: "What?? Why?? You have -real- sisters right here!"

Oye.

sthpolrd · #56 07-08-2003, 05:08 PM

Both my Parents my aunts uncles, grandparents were greek. My parents encouraged me to rush. They didnet force me to do anything, they just thought it would be the best decision. And i felt the same way.

imyourvenus · #57 07-08-2003, 05:15 PM

My parents are very supportive. My mother even knitted a blanket for my lil sis with my letters, and my dad donated a TV to our chapter house.

But when I first told them I was going to pledge neither really cared...it was jsut like any other club to them but now they see how close I am with my sisters and even encourage my little brother to pledge a frat next year when he goes to school.

adpishan · #58 07-08-2003, 09:27 PM

I knew the reaction I was going to get from my parents... and they did laugh... hard! I didn't tell them, they were contacted by my diamond sis and the cat was let out of the bag. I am not even sure if my whole family knows. I came from a small town, where GLOs weren't even discussed by people thinking about going to college. And since the majority of my whole family grew up there, their feelings are the same. My mom still teases me about it. My only strength was my husband, who was friends with some SigEps in CA. So he was totally supportive. Thank goodness, because I am so happy that I joined.

tunatartare · #59 07-09-2003, 12:02 AM

I'm from a pretty strict Russian family and Russian people have soo many negative stereotypes about sororities my family wasn't thrilled at all that I was pledging. I actually didn't tell them that I was until like halfway through. Now they're pretty cool with it and are proud of me for going through with something I really wanted to do. Other times my mom gets annoyed that I spent so much time doing sorority stuff but most of the time they're cool with it.

rainbowbrightCS · #60 07-09-2003, 08:57 AM

well, I am not greek (yet!) but when I told me family I was wanting to Rush:

1) my sister laughed at me, thinking it was a joke, and when she relized I was telling the truth, she walked out of the room.

2) my dad saw it as meeting friends, and was trying to understand, so he watched the movie the skulls and MTV SL2, which I had to explain to him the difference and similaries. He now sees it as having a bunch of girls to study with and help at the soup kitchen with.

3) my mom saw that it would help me on apllications to get into grad school, or med school, and a group of friend when im am 60.

I have not told me brother (who is a marine, I don't think he will understand)

so 2/3 of my family support me, I guess