The Daily Show: The Rise of Snowplow Parenting

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

4. Wait.

Your kids wouldn't let you call their work for them? Why would that even be on the agenda? Why on god's green earth would you call their work unless they were literally dying and you were the only person available to make the call?

One of my sons had close to zero interest in getting a drivers license until I told him he needed one (and needed a car) because I could not continue to drive him to school At that point he was 20 or so years old, back living at home (long story) and taking classes at the local community college.

The essential point is this: If they want to live independently, they get a license and a car. Unless you live where public transportation is good, and then, yes, that's great. But do not enable them. Don't drive them places if they can get a license and their own car and drive themselves.

Don't pay for things they should be paying for. Like an apartment. If they live at home, collect room and board, and make sure it's in line with what they'd pay on their own.

I honestly don't get these enabling parents. No one paid our way. Why would you pay for your adult children?

Worse yet, these enabling parents are endangering their own retirement, which is nuts.