First, I’m not pointing the finger at a couple of recent posts. The posts just made me think about scenarios posted in the past and scenarios I know to be real from being local to me.
Let’s say a parent helicopters and snow plows their kid’s way in life through senior year of high school. If the kid can’t get it done the parent does it for them or grabs them by the collar and drags them through the process. Problem with a grade or teacher? The parent takes care of it. Problem with a coach? The parent takes care of it. And the kid never has a part time job even if it’s just mowing a few lawns or shoveling some driveways.
Now the kid goes off to college. Professors don’t care if you don’t show up for class. You flunk and get sent home. Next student up! The coach expects the kid to be responsible and carry himself as an 18yo adult. But the kid had never had to be a young adult.
For the first time the freshman ball player is in a competitive situation. Other than a handful of studs thirty players are vying for about fifteen playing time spots. The coach has rules. There are no excuses.
Then when the kid starts complaining things aren’t right at college the parent automatically believes their kid and wonders what went wrong. The problem is the professors and the coach. At least it’s what the parents want to believe. The kid would never stretch the truth to protect himself.
The reality is the parent never allowed the kid any responsibility and the opportunity to grow up. The second the parent’s car pulls away from campus freshman year the kid is expected to be a responsible, functioning adult. Go figure, it doesn’t always work out.