Moms tend to worry about their babies, especially when those babies are leaving the nest for college. Some moms worry so much that they have turned to hiring a fake “college mom.”
According to an article by USA Today, Mindy Horwitz created a service in 2019 called “mindyKNOWS,” where college parents can pay a local to be there for their students when they cannot.
The “concierge moms” are women hired to watch over young adults as they transition to living on their own. These moms will not cook or clean, but they will be around for students as needed.
“There are a lot of different feelings going on with having a kid in college,” said Ellen Vinson, mother of Hagan Vinson, a freshman biology major. “I am so proud. I worry and wonder if I did enough to prepare my kids for life. I want them to grow and spread their wings, but I also want to keep them as my baby.”
This service is becoming more and more popular. It is now offered at Pennsylvania State University, Northwestern University, Washington University in St. Louis and more.
These “college moms” often come bearing gifts. They will bring the student a surprise for Valentine’s Day, their birthday and even celebrate their “kids” getting internships, just like a real mom would if she could be there in person.
“I would not consider hiring a college mom,” said Ellen Vinson. “When my kids go off to college, that is a time for them to find their way. By the time they’re in college, I should have taught them as much as I could so they can survive, and if they need advice, Mama is always a phone call away.”
Horwitz founded the service after noticing a lack of parental assistance whose students go far off for college. On the mindyKNOWS website, parents have the option to choose between a monthly, semester, year-long and four-year-long subscription plan.
While the service sounds promising in theory, there is the concern that it could further enable overbearing parents during a critical learning point for young adults.
In research conducted by the University of Virginia, studies found domineering parents can have long-term effects on students’ relationships and educational success.
“Experts have decried helicopter parents, and without the opportunity to fend for themselves, some worry students may never develop critical life skills,” said Callie Carmichael and David Oliver at USA Today.
“I would probably feel annoyed,” said Sarah Crowder, a sophomore criminal justice major. “I’d feel like I’d have less freedom. I moved two hours away for college so I could get that freedom since I grew up with strict parents, and college is all about getting your education and finding yourself on your own.”
“College moms” are hoping to be recognized as an “extended family.” They want to build relationships with the students and the students’ families so that the students have support on standby at all times.
Crowder does not think she would hire a service like mindyKNOWS for her future kids.
“I’d just really share my experiences with them and have a complete, open line of communication,” Crowder said. “They can get advice from me and not feel alone, stressed, overwhelmed or lost. I’d really make sure they can feel that they can talk to me about anything and ask for help. Some kids naturally need guidance, and some need less to figure out who they are, so it really depends on the person.”
Considered experts in the students’ new cities, parents can find peace of mind that a fake mom is looking after their student, but maybe students are better off in the long run without the service.
