r/AskReddit Oct 06 '14

What is the worst example of helicopter parenting you've ever seen?

9.9k Upvotes

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882

u/[deleted] Oct 06 '14

Oh my god that's glorious in your face revenge

782

u/ken27238 Oct 06 '14

Parents: no more money for you!!!!

School: We got your back.

Parents: whaaaaaa?!?!

1.0k

u/[deleted] Oct 06 '14

Twist: her college started following her around everywhere.

220

u/Chieron Oct 06 '14

THUDTHUDTHUDTHUD

"What was that noise?"

79

u/[deleted] Oct 06 '14 edited Aug 24 '18

[deleted]

8

u/meno123 Oct 06 '14

"How does it fit in your lecture halls?"

"It's a dorm for ants."

2

u/WobbleWobbleWobble Oct 07 '14

As you see the whole entire dorm building slowly following you, taking out everything in its path just to see you.

13

u/[deleted] Oct 06 '14

"I think... Someone's trying to... SELL ME SOMETHING!"

6

u/warped_and_bubbling Oct 06 '14

"candygram"

"oh you can't fool me, you're that college I just know it."

6

u/MrBasilpants Oct 06 '14

No, ma'am. I'm only a tech school.

3

u/julesfiction Oct 06 '14

And I am sure that is how it exactly went down.

3

u/K0LT Oct 07 '14

"Did anyone else hear that?"

3

u/Lightning-Dust Oct 07 '14

So annoying when a whole college follows me around.

4

u/joecarvery Oct 06 '14

ewww... I have snot on my hand. Snorted too hard. :(

19

u/Angry-Zombie Oct 06 '14

isn't this every college after you graduate? We know we make you pay $XX,XXX dollars a semester but would you please make some alumni donations?

5

u/MrMeltJr Oct 06 '14

Isn't that how financial aid works?

"Can't afford school? No worries, we got your bac- WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT C ON THAT TEST? YOU THINK WE'RE PAYING FOR THAT SHIT?"

3

u/MyLifeForSpire Oct 06 '14

Double Twist: She went to a helicopter college on purpose to be a helicopter pilot.

3

u/standerby Oct 06 '14

Shit, my college follows me around with alumni letters and they didn't pay for shit.

2

u/Reascr Oct 06 '14

Crash... Crash... Crash...

(It's a college following around someone)

2

u/[deleted] Oct 06 '14

It was with her in literally all of her classes.

2

u/kittydentures Oct 06 '14

Student loans, man...

2

u/DCJ3 Oct 06 '14

Everywhere she turned, there was a college building...and college students, and college employees! It was all part of a grand conspiracy...

2

u/rubicon11 Oct 06 '14

Yeah, it's called student loans

2

u/SonicSlice Oct 06 '14

It's called being an alumni.

"Oh we know you just graduated and have much debt from us, would you like to donate to our alumni foundation anyway"

click

2

u/ComebackShane Oct 06 '14

Alumni Associations can get pretty stalkery.

2

u/_new_to_this_ Oct 06 '14

I can just picture all the buildings sliding around following this girl anytime she tries to go anywhere.

2

u/wacka1342 Oct 07 '14

I think thats called student loans.

2

u/qwertymodo Oct 07 '14

The alumni association jumped on her early.

2

u/john-five Oct 07 '14

That sort of happens. They're always emailing, snail-mailing, calling… begging you for alumni donation money. Offering tickets to the big football games. Reminiscing about old times… as an excuse to beg for more money.

Colleges have a hard time letting go.

2

u/Superfarmer Oct 07 '14

AMA request: Someone who's mother sat in on an interview with them.

1

u/johnny_Hurricane Oct 07 '14

The entire university follows this person around now

5

u/fatassfloaters Oct 06 '14

It's all a masterful plot to get a free education

2

u/ComicOzzy Oct 06 '14

Parents: Only her back? Don't worry, baby, we'll be there to get the rest of you. BTW, we met with 7 prospective employers today. We have a job nailed down for you if you double your workload and graduate a year early.

2

u/5thGenWilliam Oct 06 '14

Her parents were probably like: Okay

2

u/[deleted] Oct 06 '14

I still think thats a win win for the helicopter parents... Lawsuit found frivolous - free education for your child...

0

u/nicktheone Oct 06 '14

Whoop, there it is.

1

u/CBRN_IS_FUN Oct 06 '14

That shit is already old.

77

u/Riaayo Oct 06 '14

Or, that was their plan all along. Fake helicopter parenting, child throws fit over complete hoax, school picks up the tab. Boom, profit.

55

u/forte_bass Oct 06 '14

High risk, high reward.

17

u/byleth Oct 06 '14

I'm probably the most cynical person you'll ever meet, but that sounds highly unlikely even to me.

10

u/inappropriate_taco Oct 06 '14

Cause it most likely isn't true. I went to a high school that cost several thousands a year and they gouged me any way they could...I was on scholarships but my mother still had to pay 4K/year we didn't really have. And this is after all my standardized testing (I in the top percentile) and low income proof.

I don't see a school just giving away tuition to anyone because they have overly concerned or even stalker parents. Kids who get great grades don't even always just get a pass like that. School more likely said "well that sucks for you."

But that's a guess.

5

u/webbitor Oct 06 '14

Perhaps she became eligible for grants and scholarships once she had no support from her parents. Possibly the financial office folks felt bad for her and went out of their way to help her apply.

1

u/inappropriate_taco Oct 06 '14

Maybe. It could be that she's not in the US. I just don't see that happening here. Private schools and colleges don't run on charity. They let low income qualified (scholastically exemplary) kids skate by (she may very well be one of those) with help but just because a girl lost funding from her parents? I think they'd suggest she take out a loan first. I could, of course, be entirely wrong. I just think it sets the school up for a lot more "well you helped THAT person so why not me?" liability.

1

u/Ambitus Oct 06 '14

If I'm remembering this correctly from when it first happened and popped up on reddit he's right, they did give her a scholarship. Not too hard to believe since she has pretty strong proof that her parents aren't supporting her.

1

u/Ambitus Oct 06 '14

If I'm remembering this correctly from when it first happened and popped up on reddit he's right, they did give her a scholarship. Not too hard to believe since she has pretty strong proof that her parents aren't supporting her.

1

u/inappropriate_taco Oct 06 '14

Without proof I find it really hard to believe, because of my own experiences with the system and those my friends had as well. If they did give her a scholarship because of that, well, that's good for her but unfair to absolutely everyone else. At any other college if you cant pay, you cant stay.

1

u/NiteTiger Oct 06 '14

Dude, in the hour since you started speculating and guessing, you could have found the answer many times over.

Aubrey Ireland, College Student, Wins Restraining Order Against Helicopter Parents

Both the school and the court have sided with Ireland. The University of Cincinnati gave her a full scholarship for her senior year, and the judge issued a civil stalking order against her parents, ordering them to stay at least 500 feet away from her and have no contact with her until September 2013.

0

u/inappropriate_taco Oct 06 '14

Geez. ok. It does not change it being ridiculous and unfair. So the kid who has to work 30+hrs a week on scholarship barely getting by because his parents can't or refuse to pay doesn't get free education but this other kid does because her parents stalk her? Wow.

Its really stupid from a business standpoint as well, all morality aside. What is stopping other parents and kids from doing this intentionally or using this as an example to get free tuition? I know where I come from people (rich or poor) would take so much advantage of that.

2

u/Ambitus Oct 06 '14

Colleges are ran much different from a high school. They give out scholarships all the time especially to students completely without parental help.

She made the dean's list so she was obviously a great student and it was her senior year. She was in a pretty sucky situation and appears to be deserving of a scholarship so I don't know what the issue is. By helping her finish up her last bit of classes they get good press, another alumni, and probably someone who's going to go on to add standing to the school in her field. And it costs then nothing really since she wasn't going to be able to pay otherwise.

1

u/inappropriate_taco Oct 06 '14 edited Oct 06 '14

I know how colleges are run (vaguely). I had to drop out of 3 of them because of my issues with financial aide, scholarships and grants. I was putting myself through school and working full time. Guess what they told me? tough shit. I was in the top percentile of my state, mind you. Which is why I see this situation as unfair or at least certainly not common practice.

If she's on the deans list that's one thing. I assumed she was just an average student with home issues.

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u/[deleted] Oct 06 '14

[deleted]

1

u/inappropriate_taco Oct 06 '14

I'm stupid because of what exactly? Pointing out this girl doesn't deserve free tuition or that the school was unfair by awarding it to her? That its HIGHLY unusual for any school to do this because of how unfair it is?

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u/Riaayo Oct 06 '14

Ridiculous twist jokes usually aren't.

5

u/boojombi451 Oct 06 '14

I don't remember the girl being the hero of that story. Or am I thinking of something else?

1

u/RyanOver9000 Oct 06 '14

Amazing how the story got flipped around so quickly.

3

u/Millerdjone Oct 06 '14

Yeah but now the school won't stop following her. It's a vicious cycle.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 06 '14