Upcoming generation coddled?

Question

Does anyone feel like the kids now are lacking independence and are coddled by there parents? The place I work at parents are coming in and filling out job applications for their teens. I also work with college students for another job, and i was shocked on how so many of them call their parents for every little thing. 
I went to a drs appointment last week (I’m 25) and the nurse was shocked that my parents weren’t involved with my medical life￼. I was sick with a severe migraine and she couldn’t believe how I drove myself there. I’m like I’ve been taking care of my medical issues since I was 16 😂😂 if I’m in danger I’ll ask for help.  My friends are all teachers and they get emails several times a day from parents asking questions on behalf of their children. I completely understand protecting your child and standing up for them, but how will they survive as adults if they can’t even fill out their own applications or just make mistakes?

Answer

I think if parents are doing everything for their kids like filling out their applications that is coddling. I’m 24 and I call my mom for everything. I call my mom if I need to know what to say on a job application, how to sign up for insurance, what to do if I’m feeling sick. I’ve called my dad if I need to know how to patch a hole in the wall or asked him to hang a shelf for me. We all learn somehow, our grandparents taught our parents and our parents are there to teach us. But they can’t do everything for us. I’m very close to my mom and call her for everything but I would never make my parents fill out a job application even when I was 16

Answer

As someone that worked in a community college for 25 years, helping kids get into college, doing financial aid etc, majority of the kids have to ask their mom what their phone number is. Address. Social date of birth etc. they don’t know squat it’s a rare occurrence when a child knows all of that. I think what it is the latch key kids that had to fend for themselves were self reliant in the 80s. Narcissistic baby boomer mothers traumatized their kids . They wanted to do the polar opposite with their own kids, which is why it is how it is now I get it. Their parents do everything for them. Or they have a a history of screwing up and losing things and would rather just do it themselves than have to fix it later.

Answer

I think it really depends on where you're at. Where I'm at it's normal for parents to help with a college application or first job application, but outside of that parents aren't involved with paperwork. I'm 26 and haven't been to the doctor with my mother since I was 17. At 18 I did need my mother to speak to a teacher over her treatment towards me because as a highschool student I was still considered a minor under my mother's care. She went to the school, had a parent teacher conference, and came home to tell me my teacher was a spiteful bitch and I was welcome to drop the class at the end of the semester or fo whatever I wanted because I was an adult. I don't need my parents controlling every aspect of my life or thinking they have any say over any part of my life. I'm a mother on baby number 3, married, a home owner, ect. There's no need to involve my mother in my affairs. My friends are the same way about having parents in their business. It's very common for an 18 year old to be out on the street the day after they turn 18 or 19 here (usually parents let their kid graduate highschool first). Are there parents that coddle? Absolutely. However as a whole people are pretty independent here. I was one of the only ones who wasn't kicked out at 18, but I was financially cut off at 18 and was no longer provided for. No toothpaste, food, tampons, ect. I also wasn't allowed to work, abusive home, so my husband whom I have been with since 15 was supporting me through the end of highschool and college until we moved in together. I still see a lot of kids who are completely on their own the day they turn 18.

Answer

I like to believe there is a middle way. If one needs help then help should be provided. I also believe in being able to do things on your own. Like washing your clothes, cooking a meal, knowing how to clean, etc. But in case of an emergency like a severe migrains it should be a given that one can reach out for help instead of driving a car and endangering themselves and others. Also knowing when to ask for help is also a sign of maturity. Being able to help each other is not a sign of weakness it's strength. And people with a strong network around themselves get further in life.

Answer

My parents didn’t do any of that for me and I won’t be doing any of that for my children. That’s ridiculous there’s parents who even do that. They think they’re helping them when in actual reality they’re harming them.

Upcoming generation coddled?

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