My parents took into onto themselves recently to pull my HSer aside and give him unsolicied advice on a number of schools that he should apply to, counseling him that they'd looked into them, and thought he'd have a reasonable shot of getting in.

Of course, they've never heard of Naviance and don't really know his GPA, but that didn't stop them. I guess it bugged me because it seemed to imply that the schools that DS is already considering, which are good if not top tier and reasonable prospects, don't meet their expectations. They have no idea how the world has changed since my siblings and I were applying to schools decades ago.

Anonymous wrote:OP, I think you nailed it. They are getting old and it is really sad. My parents are nearing 60, but I dread the day when my friendship changes with them. I sometimes let myself mourn the loss that will eventually come and I try to mentally prepare myself to be kind and patient with them.

I was around my great grandparents a lot as a child and watched them spend their final years in nursing homes. For some reason this really left an impression on me and has left me, as a fairly young adult, thinking about how aging impacts individuals and families.

Good luck and it may be time to grieve, just a little bit.

Lol.