Where are my DCUM snarky parents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do people really wipe down every surface of the dorm rooms with clorox? Do the same people wipe down every surface when they stay in a hotel?

This is not one to get over excited about, I don't think. No one cleaned the room right before move in, and the surfaces are dusty and in some cases outright dirty. It takes <5 minutes to wipe down surfaces - there aren't many. The desk, the bureau, the fridge, maybe the chair and the bed railings, and you're done.

We also wiped down surfaces when moving out - because they were dirty! Nothing wrong with helping your DC quickly surface clean the place they will be in for 10 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know it's my fault. I need to get off social media. But the hand ringing about sending kids to college is hysterical. This week I've read posts about:

--child's roommate does not have a social media presence, should they contact residential life
--child's roommate wears pants, while their child wears dresses. mom wants to switch roommates
--why can't parents stay beyond 2 hours to set up their childs room? Their child doesn't understand what all the packed items are for
--child's roommate doesn't care about coordinating room decor; Their child does. What should she do?

What posts have you read that make you wonder if these parents are ready to land the helicopter?

I am on those FB and social media pages as well, OP. And I also have read the exact above posts and others and found them to be "different". But I also keep reminding myself that most of those sites are nationwide and there really are some lovely but less educated areas of our country. It is obvious with so many of those posts that many of the parents writing in and "wringing their hands" are parents that had never attended college themselves. I try to give a little grace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know it's my fault. I need to get off social media. But the hand ringing about sending kids to college is hysterical. This week I've read posts about:

--child's roommate does not have a social media presence, should they contact residential life
--child's roommate wears pants, while their child wears dresses. mom wants to switch roommates
--why can't parents stay beyond 2 hours to set up their childs room? Their child doesn't understand what all the packed items are for
--child's roommate doesn't care about coordinating room decor; Their child does. What should she do?

What posts have you read that make you wonder if these parents are ready to land the helicopter?

Unbelievable.

Moms need to find something else to do.

Feel bad for the husbands come empty nest time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know it's my fault. I need to get off social media. But the hand ringing about sending kids to college is hysterical. This week I've read posts about:

--child's roommate does not have a social media presence, should they contact residential life
--child's roommate wears pants, while their child wears dresses. mom wants to switch roommates
--why can't parents stay beyond 2 hours to set up their childs room? Their child doesn't understand what all the packed items are for
--child's roommate doesn't care about coordinating room decor; Their child does. What should she do?

What posts have you read that make you wonder if these parents are ready to land the helicopter?

I am on those FB and social media pages as well, OP. And I also have read the exact above posts and others and found them to be "different". But I also keep reminding myself that most of those sites are nationwide and there really are some lovely but less educated areas of our country. It is obvious with so many of those posts that many of the parents writing in and "wringing their hands" are parents that had never attended college themselves. I try to give a little grace.

Well said. There were times when my first instinct was to roll my eyes, and then I realized that the parent who was posting had not attended college themselves. Sending your kid off is stressful for everyone, but it’s a heck of a lot easier when it’s something you’ve been through yourself. There’s so much that colleges just assume you know, not to mention all the “unwritten” rules. For that matter, my DC attended the same university I did, and I obtained some useful info from the parents’ page.

[Anonymous]

Plenty of people would mock you for wasting time mocking strangers on DCUM, OP.

Not me because I waste loads of time on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just wait until you get on FB parent pages for your child's school. It's insanity.

At DD's private uni, people have asked about cleaning companies for dorms.

My favorites are the ones who post that their child hasn't made any friends and would anyone's kid be interested in hanging out with their kid?? They also usually DON'T post anonymously for those which makes me nuts.

You should see FB parents page for St Andrews where DD is. OMG….this people are absolutely crazy.

[Anonymous]

Yes, some people are ridiculous and/or entitled, but others are simply inexperienced or uniformed. My son's SLAC has a number of first generation students and some parents just don't understand yet that their student is now the first point of contact for everything and the adult in charge. They know that other parents are still helping their kids a lot, they just haven't finessed the how to help.

I really like the tone of our group; occasional snark but mostly a lot of direct but gentle feedback about what kind of things a student should be handling vs. a parent. Its genuinely refreshing to see people ready to help each other vs ready to pounce all over the first "dumb" thing they read.

[Anonymous]

I set up my kid in under 2 hours. It went like a military operation. We already knew the dimensions of the room, closet etc. Everything got dusted, wiped, lysoled, vacuumed, put away and the beds were made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I set up my kid in under 2 hours. It went like a military operation. We already knew the dimensions of the room, closet etc. Everything got dusted, wiped, lysoled, vacuumed, put away and the beds were made.

You could have dropped him off at the dorm, gone for a coffee, and met him for lunch after he set up his own dorm room.

[Anonymous]

1.) Curtains are too ugly.

2.) Are we SURE there are water bottle refilling stations?

3.) Already refusing to share the microfridge, and the kids haven't even moved in yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just wait until you get on FB parent pages for your child's school. It's insanity.

At DD's private uni, people have asked about cleaning companies for dorms.

My favorites are the ones who post that their child hasn't made any friends and would anyone's kid be interested in hanging out with their kid?? They also usually DON'T post anonymously for those which makes me nuts.

NP. Aw, this makes me kind of sad. Imagine how lonely your kid must be for you to do this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do people really wipe down every surface of the dorm rooms with clorox? Do the same people wipe down every surface when they stay in a hotel?

Yes but its necessary tbh. Most schools don't clean well, and it's a cesspool (wait until your kid is sick, really sick for 6 months straight). DH also opened (with a drill) the air vent and we cleaned (and lysoled that). Everyone in DC's dorm asked to borrow the drill after that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd absolutely hire cleaners for individual dorm room if DS would have allowed it (he's in a quad with a private bathroom). I also had ready the contract information for laundry pickup/delivery to/from the dorm. Turns out DS was diligent about doing his laundry and didn't mind doing it.

Anyone see the recent post on the Cornell FB page where the cleaning lady was offering her services to clean kid's dorm rooms?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just wait until you get on FB parent pages for your child's school. It's insanity.

At DD's private uni, people have asked about cleaning companies for dorms.

My favorites are the ones who post that their child hasn't made any friends and would anyone's kid be interested in hanging out with their kid?? They also usually DON'T post anonymously for those which makes me nuts.

NP. Aw, this makes me kind of sad. Imagine how lonely your kid must be for you to do this

Probably not lonely at all. They called home at a particularly bad moment like all of them have at some point, which mama spun into a crisis.

[Anonymous]

I do wipe down the surfaces of the room because they are dusty and dirty. I do use a sanitizing wipe on the vinyl mattress but just use a damp cloth for the rest.