I encountered the new university library scourge today - the "helicopter parent". I was doing some VR - that's Reference through IM for those of you not enduring library school to know such things - and got a fairly routine query about the location of the Business School library. Typed back my walk route from the main campus and asked a question about what they needed there. "Oh, the typer said, I'm asking on behalf of my daughter, a Freshman, there's a book she needs there for an assignment so I'm looking it up for her and giving her a map to where it is". Huh? The Mother lived States away and likely had something else worthwhile to do - besides her daughters college homework. I would hope. This is apparently a phenom in University library's these days - playing to the parents because they use the library as much more - than their kids. WTF. American colleges kind of weird me out anyway, as I've said before - what do you mean you have to live on a campus and not cook or clean or choose your own roommates or pay bills? Does not compute. Is it not a time to learn how to be responsible and look after yourself? Research your own goddamned papers? I was an irresponsible youth who lived in squalor, but in the end I had to clean it up and pay my bills. Simone will not have a helicopter parent - I am not wired that way. More like an orbiter.
In other library news, I felt like I stuck it to the man today by spending 45 minutes and 16 pages of free photocopying helping the student from the "less advantaged" (read: "historically black") school down the road (who asked kind of wistfully how many libraries we had) get her assignment together. No man was really stuck and they wouldn't care anyway but she told me I made her day. And that made up for helicopter parents.
Due to a combination of in-between weather and a kid in-between clothing sizes, I've been making some risky fashion decisions on Simone's behalf this week. I have this insane matchy match tendency that makes navy and black a total no-no and bold mixing of patterns cause for a nervous breakdown. But kids look cute in crazy patterns and stripes and colors, right? Desperately trying to free my kid from my slavery to matching, today I thought I'd put her in some striped tights and this striped and floral Hanna Anderson dress - not quite the same colors or stripes, but kinda kooky and fun. All day I worried about her stupid outfit. And when I picked her up tonight, I realised there is a thin line between zany and stupid and I had crossed it. My god, it was hard enough worrying about what I was going to wear every day. This is too much pressure.