I just read an article today from Søndagavisen, a free weekly newspaper about this Helicopter parents. It is funny word but I think this is a special danish word for parents who control or steers their children life. This article is about the increasing numbers of parents who keeps calling the universities or other educational institutions regarding their children’s university’s applications. Note that July 5 is the last day of sending nationwide college application.
Many parents takes care of almost all of their children problems like just like this sending the application on time while their children are in Roskilde festival or traveling. The authorities in the some universities are busier than ever answering queries and complaints from than from applicants.
They also said that this phenomenon’s is widely known known in the USA where parents form a union, I think it is College of Parents America. Some of the experts they interview were quite alarm by this parents controlling their children’s affair. They said that children will become so dependent of their parents and children will totally be crushed when their parents gone, since they will not live forever.
If they only how is it in the Philippines. It so natural for the Filipino parents to decide their children’s course in the future. Some wanted their children to be in the same profession as the parents for example doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. but some also dreams that their children will be someone in the future. Most parent are so protective that they even deliver and fetch them in school even they are already in college.
Here in Denmark where children moves out when they turn 18 and decide to study. They have to find and pay their own apartment and just live with their SU, the state’s stipend. They have to work part time if their expenses can not be suppoted by their stipend.
But back in the Philippines parents shoulder everything form tuition fees to board and lodging and allowances. That is why children just have to concentrate studying.
But I think I will be a part time Helicopter parent because I’m a Filipina mom. I want the best for my son and I will always guide him continue studying but I will not dictate him what I want him to be but what he wanted to be. I will see to it that he will go to college because here in Denmark only half from the high school graduates go to college. Most of them don’t know what course to take, some don’t get accepted, some don’t have place in the college so they work after that they take a detour forgot about college. Of course it’s doesn’t make then lesser person because here everybody is equal whoever you are garbage man or member of the parliament has same rights and privileges in their social welfare. But they have free education and stipend which I think is a privilege just imagine in the Philippines we have to pay everything.
How about you are you gonna be a Helicopter Parent?
Filed under: Being Filipino, Parenting | Tagged: Education, Parenting
Interesting choice of word. As a helicopter pilot, and father-in-law to a lovely, intelligent, Filipino girl, I was struck by the intensified effort her mother extended to send her to college. Matters were made especially difficult because her father was absent during most of her childhood, and her mother had only minimum education herself. My daughter-in-law is now gainfully employed, has been offered two promotions, and possesses a diligent work ethic, no doubt learned from her hard working mother. Armed with a college degree, she is well prepared to make her own way in the world. She is also painfully aware of the many obstacles that currently litter the public education landscape in America, many of which are revealed in the novel, The Twilight’s Last Gleaming On Public Education. You may view a portion of this intriguing, socially relevant, and enlightening novel online by contacting the publisher at http://www.Xlibris.com, clicking on their Bookstore link, then Searching by title. Check it out for yourself.
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