Parents worry. Some are concerned about their children’s relationships, academic stand, or living arrangements. And some parents bring their concerns to bear when speaking with faculty members – sometimes at the top of their lungs. So what should you do? Brian Van Brunt, Ed.D., suggests that you see this type of situation as a “teachable moment” for the parent.
- Learn about the costs associated with taking a “hard line” approach with overprotective and aggressive parents in efforts to shift them away from these behaviors.
- Learn practical skills and theories and review case examples of how parents engage in pushy, needy and aggressive behavior.
- Learn the art of referral and redirection as a way to manage aggressive and overly involved parents.
- Receive a guide for addressing the top 20 parent concerns, suitable to use for training. Each example uses natural language, and offers suggestions of alternative explanations and answers to parents’ questions and demands.
Student affairs personnel are trained to answer questions and help solve problems, whether dealing with students or their parents. But what if the problem is the parent?
As advocates for their college-aged students, some parents resort to pushy, demanding or downright aggressive behavior. These so-called “helicopter parents” can be the stuff of legend around the water cooler, but they also take a toll on morale and productivity.
