I just read an interesting article in the WSJ (3/5/07, Page B4) called "Hiring Becomes a Family Affair." Apparently some companies are embracing the trend of helicopter parents by courting them in order to hire their kids. For example, Merrill Lynch invited both parents and students to an open house, gave tours, and allowed parents to ask questions in hopes they would push their kids to accept an internship. Employers say this strategy cuts down on parental over-involvement later since parents were involved early on.
While I admire the savvy creativity of companies embracing a trend, I'm concerned that some parents are still orchestrating their children's lives post college. I can't tell you how many clients I see in their late twenties and thirties who are dissatisfied with their lives, mostly because they lived it for their parents rather than by their own choices. Or, these same individuals cannot solve everyday problems because their parents have always stepped in and saved them.
Save your kid a quarter-life crisis! Offer guidance; coach them with skills, but let them make their own career decisions. Making mistakes is part of the learning process. Let them discover what interests them, what it takes to live independently, how to negotiate relationships. Wisdom comes from both factual and experiential learning. Parents don't have the right to take that away from their children.
Agree or disagree? I'm interested in your comments.
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