Everybody isn’t doing it

Parents, if your kid did something he shouldn’t have done, would you accept the excuse, “Everybody's doing it?”  Most parents wouldn’t. 

You’d tell your kid he needs to be responsible for his own decisions and that he shouldn’t concern himself so much with what other people think.  Remember to follow your own advice as you’re going through your kids’ rides to college.

Other parents are going to insist on turning their kids’ college admissions process into a status competition.  They’ll wedge tutors and test scores and expensive summer programs into your dinner party conversations.  They’ll wage battles with teachers to get grades changed, fill out applications for their kids, and insist that an admission offer from a prestigious college is the only acceptable outcome for their children’s hard work in high school.  They’ll turn what should be an exciting time into something stressful for the entire family.

There will be times you’ll be made to feel like you’re doing something wrong if you don’t join in with those parents.  Don’t do it.  Don’t bow to parent peer pressure.   

Parents get to choose how you treat this time.  Make your own choice, one that’s based on what’s really best for your student.  Plenty of families find ways to make peace with the college admissions process, to be proud that they've raised a good kid no matter where that good kid goes to college.

“Everybody’s doing it” is usually a bad reason to do something. The truth is, "everybody" isn't doing it.