Letter from the Pastor
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August 18, 2024It’s that time of the summer when one may hear either cheers or tears from the houses in Pearl River. This is the week we say goodbye to our young students as they head off to college, especially the freshmen. It is a challenging time for both parents and students. There is a sense of excitement and apprehension. Yet it is a very important part of growing up or letting go.
There was an article in the Post last week talking about a Facebook group, Dorm Room Mamas. It has at least 192,000 members!
Dorm Room Mamas is a support group for helicopter parents, whose children are going off to college. These mothers and even some fathers have asked questions about which bathrobes to buy their kids, whether their sons should wear flip-flops in the shower, whether they should send a fire extinguisher or even a carbon monoxide detector to school with their child.
“So l do have a serious question . . . When people are taking showers at home, are they re-using the same towel again & again, without washing it?” This was a question recently posted on the group. At last count 131 people had responded to the idea that an 18-year-old would be washing seven towels a week!
One mother felt guilty because the towels she purchased “weren’t absorbent and didn’t dry him off properly.” Another post was from a mom who was “looking for inspiration on how the kids are storing their snacks, ramen and mac n cheese.”
Other posts include a picture of the bathroom drawn with measurements and questions about tension rods, as well as a box full of every medication imaginable because “not being there when she doesn’t feel good rips my heart out and stomps on it.” Some even want to know if they could repaint the dorm room to their daughter’s favorite color.
Sadly, colleges now have strict policies to get parents to leave campus after dropping off their children, some even with time limits; policies why parents can’t call professors to get them to change grades. School administrators have said that since the Pandemic, helicopter parenting is even worse.
One of the most important parts of leaving home and going off to college is to teach our young adults how to be responsible for themselves, how to do their own laundry, how to solve problems, how to figure things out on their own, how to become responsible adults.
One may wonder from whom the cheers and tears are coming: the moms or the kids? Well, good luck to both. Kids, don’t forget to call your Mom and tell her you love the color of your room, the towels are absorbent, and the food is prepared by a personal chef, but not as good as hers! And most importantly, go to Mass, and say your prayers! Good luck and enjoy your college experience, but not too much!
Talking about the kids… did you know that August is National Make-a-Will Month?
Creating your will is far more than just a legal process. It is a simple and effective way to extend your love for the people and causes close to your heart, like including St. Margaret’s Parish or the Archdiocese of New York.
Remember, you don’t need a fortune to create a legacy that shares Christ’s love with your fellow parishioners. Please consider naming your parish home in your will.
I am grateful to the parishioners and their families who have included St. Margaret’s in their will.
