Some parents are paying hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars for concierge services that help their college students with everything from laundry to dorm-room cleaning. But are those services providing needed support or delaying adulthood?
Kristin Brey and Steve Scaffidi discussed a growing group of companies that market themselves as a “secondary mom” for students living away from home. They discuss packages that can range from about $500 to $10,000 per year, depending on the company and level of service.
The services may include washing clothes, cleaning dorm rooms, delivering snacks or energy drinks, helping with sorority recruitment and checking on a student’s well-being. One company discussed during the episode, Campus Mom, describes itself as a student’s “home away from home.”
The larger question is not whether families should support college students. It is whether that support helps young adults become more capable or does it prevent young adults from learning how to manage life on their own.
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