Wanted- Nanny for College Kid

Did you read about the concerned parent placing a wanted ad in search of a nanny for her college-aged child?

I wasn’t sure when I initially scanned the title either. Anyway, after reading the article it gave rise to a number of unanswered questions. Is it possible that sophisticated parents are so busy in helping their children succeed professionally, such as:

  • live in the right neighborhood to attend the best schools,
  • participate in enough extracurricular activities, but not too many,
  • sign-up for community service projects,
  • take the right AP courses,
  • earn the highest grades possible, and
  • join the right clubs, etc…

While we’ve focused so much on professional success and the steps to take to ensure that our children have a solid footing; we have forgotten the importance of personal care, health and well-being.

If I may, I’ll refer back to the article whereby the parent was seeking “someone to help cook and clean at their daughter’s “lovely” apartment.”

Research

Several studies abound that report upon the significance of cooking skills and eating at home. There are psychosocial benefits to cooking in the home, according to researchers. In addition to survival, it involves enhancing social relationships, bonding, and contributing to a sense of community.

Additionally, the National Institutes of Health reported that ” increased cooking class attendance was significantly associated with improvement in participants women’s healthy eating and living score, an index measuring achievement of dietary targets, such as fruit, vegetable and fiber intakes and percentage of energy from fat. “

So while I truly understand the good intentions of the thoughtful parent, it is a wonder if the parent is doing more harm than good in this particular situation.

Resources

Psychosocial benefits of cooking interventions: A systematic review, NIH. 2018

The Impact of cooking and home food preparation among adults: Outcomes and implications for future programs, NIH. 2014

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