53. Parents Behaving Badly

Contrary to what some educators believe, students who frequently talk with their parents and follow their advice participate more frequently in educationally purposeful activities and are more satisfied with their college experience.

—National Survey of Student Engagement

You’ve probably heard the scathing news accounts about helicopter parents. The media tends to describe them with the same disgust that most of us would reserve for clogged sinks and fender benders.

These are the parents who hover over their kids—constantly. They nag their teenagers to excel, and they grow jealous of the accomplishments of other kids. Forgetting just who is going to college, they commandeer the college admission process. Some college ...

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