The Daily Show: The Rise of Snowplow Parenting

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3. My kids wouldn't let me call their work

for them if someone paid them. Not a chance in hell.

That's the part I can't figure out about these college cheaters. What kid/young adult would go along with something as embarrassing and, might I add, illegal?

My son went through a period where he was in denial of even having a mother. Not kidding. My younger daughter, on a different note, refused to say she hated me when all her girlfriends were going through that stage of talking about how horrible theirs mom's were and how much they hated them. My older daughter, a different story altogether.

But my point, I guess, is that my children are fiercely independent - about most things. They are, however, like aliens to me in many other ways. None of them wanted to get their driver's license. My son wasn't as bad as the girls but none of them were like my generation - getting permits the day it became legal. 15 1/2 years old, iirc.

In a lot of ways I feel sorry for these kids. On the other hand I can only imagine what horrible adults they'll grow up to be. If there's a generation of sheltered, spoiled, rich kids who will be worse than their parents society will suffer terribly, I'm afraid.