Reply to Professor here -- curious to hear parents' perspective on this

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I have a child at UVA who has struggled with mental health issues.

To be perfectly blunt, some reasonable accommodations are appropriate. But there comes a time where if a student is that dramatically incapacitated, they need to withdraw until they can function again. And also, you cannot allow someone with mental illnesses to use it as a crutch.

There are limits to accommodations. At some point, there have to be natural consequences, and they may not always be pleasant.

I mean, [b]in the work world there will be limits to tolerance for this behavior[/b].[/quote]

NP. Thank you for posting this, PP, especially as you have the perspective of a parent with a child who has been in the boat the OP describes, possibly.

The part I put into bold is a particular concern, to me. I'm glad colleges are so much more attuned to students' mental health needs now than in the past, and I'm glad colleges are, to be blunt, cutting more slack (perhaps I should say, providing more opportunities to get help/make up work) than in the past. But the issue of preparation for the working world is a very real issue indeed. Employers are not going to be remotely as understanding. Yes, employers also are more attuned to mental health issues but are also going to handle those through health insurance, wellness programs and human resources offices, and without the repeated chances at fixing problematic work product. My DC is in college now, and does not have mental health issues, but is a "mother hen" to several friends who deal with issues like the professor OP describes. And I despair for those kids' mental health once they're employed somewhere that won't accept anxiety as a reason for missing work or not completing work products or tasks. I am NOT dismissing anxiety-- it's real. But like PP says--there will be limits to what the working world will do, and these students could get a horrible awakening. Not sure what the solution is, other than, as OP notes, making it easier to withdraw and regroup, and easier to re-enter college at the same point where one left, in terms of credits etc.

[/quote]

Yeah, this is just not real world work place environment. I'm in the midst of trying to help an attorney who is constantly missing deadlines, not answering emails, and basically ghosting for days on end. When we finally get in touch, she states that she has mental health issues that need accommodations and is looking for modified hours to meet her schedule. In law, that is not happening. You either meet deadlines and learn to manage your workload or you go into another field. No partner, firm, or client will stand for an emotionally unbalanced attorney. And I'm sure that's the same in many other fields (finance, medicine, security, etc.). So to the above, we need to teach children how to manage and deal with their workload in a reasonable manner. And how to do it on their own so that they are prepared for the working world. Parents need to set reasonable expectations for these kids to allow them to meet more attainable, age appropriate goals (i.e, not perfection). [/quote]

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