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General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: Monoriu on April 16, 2010, 11:52:15 AM

Title: Kids these days
Post by: Monoriu on April 16, 2010, 11:52:15 AM
Colleague of mine has been taking lots of half day offs recently, all in the morning.  So we asked him about it.  He said he needed to accompany his son to his exam venue until he settled down. 

His son is 17 years old.  I am not really sure how a father can help his son to "settle down" in an exam venue.  The father has to leave as soon as the exam starts, and I doubt he can enter the actual venue anyway.  He can get to the door at most. 

And recently, I've seen newspaper reports about parents "accompanying" their university graduate children to...job interviews.  Gosh.  I hope they at least have the sense not to let the interviewers know this. 
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Josquius on April 16, 2010, 11:54:20 AM
I smell cheating.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Ed Anger on April 16, 2010, 01:02:13 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on April 16, 2010, 11:52:15 AM
Colleague of mine has been taking lots of half day offs recently, all in the morning.  So we asked him about it.  He said he needed to accompany his son to his exam venue until he settled down. 

His son is 17 years old.  I am not really sure how a father can help his son to "settle down" in an exam venue.  The father has to leave as soon as the exam starts, and I doubt he can enter the actual venue anyway.  He can get to the door at most. 

And recently, I've seen newspaper reports about parents "accompanying" their university graduate children to...job interviews.  Gosh.  I hope they at least have the sense not to let the interviewers know this.

It's called helicopter parenting.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: The Brain on April 16, 2010, 01:18:06 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on April 16, 2010, 11:52:15 AM
Colleague of mine has been taking lots of half day offs recently, all in the morning.  So we asked him about it.  He said he needed to accompany his son to his exam venue until he settled down. 

His son is 17 years old.  I am not really sure how a father can help his son to "settle down" in an exam venue.  The father has to leave as soon as the exam starts, and I doubt he can enter the actual venue anyway.  He can get to the door at most. 

And recently, I've seen newspaper reports about parents "accompanying" their university graduate children to...job interviews.  Gosh.  I hope they at least have the sense not to let the interviewers know this.

Report him.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Caliga on April 16, 2010, 05:46:41 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on April 16, 2010, 11:52:15 AM
And recently, I've seen newspaper reports about parents "accompanying" their university graduate children to...job interviews.  Gosh.  I hope they at least have the sense not to let the interviewers know this.
I've actually never seen this happen, but if I ever did the person would never get hired by me under any circumstance, regardless of qualifications.... unless maybe the kid's parent also happened to be the CEO or something :ph34r:
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: CountDeMoney on April 17, 2010, 06:38:04 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on April 16, 2010, 11:52:15 AM
I am not really sure how a father can help his son to "settle down" in an exam venue.  The father has to leave as soon as the exam starts, and I doubt he can enter the actual venue anyway.  He can get to the door at most. 

His first Gunny can take care of that issue in short order.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Josquius on April 17, 2010, 07:05:05 AM
Quote from: Caliga on April 16, 2010, 05:46:41 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on April 16, 2010, 11:52:15 AM
And recently, I've seen newspaper reports about parents "accompanying" their university graduate children to...job interviews.  Gosh.  I hope they at least have the sense not to let the interviewers know this.
I've actually never seen this happen, but if I ever did the person would never get hired by me under any circumstance, regardless of qualifications.... unless maybe the kid's parent also happened to be the CEO or something :ph34r:

What if he lived pretty far away and didn't yet have a car of his own?
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Caliga on April 17, 2010, 07:19:29 AM
Quote from: Tyr on April 17, 2010, 07:05:05 AM
What if he lived pretty far away and didn't yet have a car of his own?
Mom can wait in the fucking lobby then.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Ed Anger on April 17, 2010, 07:55:20 AM
That doesn't sound like reliable transportation to me. I'd find another person with a car and able to do gopher work for me.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Palisadoes on April 17, 2010, 09:34:54 AM
Sounds like a load of crap to me. He's just trying to get out of work.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Josquius on April 17, 2010, 10:17:05 AM
Quote from: Ed Anger on April 17, 2010, 07:55:20 AM
That doesn't sound like reliable transportation to me. I'd find another person with a car and able to do gopher work for me.
Aren't such things organised when you know you're getting the job though?
I don't need a car as a unemployed slob living at home. If I got a job in a nearby place though I would get one (2 hours on the bus is fine for a interview but as a daily thing...no)
If the job was further afield I'd make plans to move there.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: DisturbedPervert on April 17, 2010, 10:26:00 AM
Quote from: Palisadoes on April 17, 2010, 09:34:54 AM
Sounds like a load of crap to me. He's just trying to get out of work.

Probably hung over
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Monoriu on April 17, 2010, 11:13:23 AM
Quote from: Palisadoes on April 17, 2010, 09:34:54 AM
Sounds like a load of crap to me. He's just trying to get out of work.

Nah, he works in a different department than mine.  He is more a friend than a colleague.  No need to lie to me. 
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Ed Anger on April 17, 2010, 11:37:48 AM
Quote from: Tyr on April 17, 2010, 10:17:05 AM
Quote from: Ed Anger on April 17, 2010, 07:55:20 AM
That doesn't sound like reliable transportation to me. I'd find another person with a car and able to do gopher work for me.
Aren't such things organised when you know you're getting the job though?
I don't need a car as a unemployed slob living at home. If I got a job in a nearby place though I would get one (2 hours on the bus is fine for a interview but as a daily thing...no)
If the job was further afield I'd make plans to move there.

If the job calls for having reliable transportation or a license, and somebody shows up for an interview on the vague promise that they are getting a car or license, I'm moving on to the next person. They wasted my time.


It isn't like there is a shortage of workers anymore.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Josquius on April 17, 2010, 11:41:02 AM
Quote from: Ed Anger on April 17, 2010, 11:37:48 AM

If the job calls for having reliable transportation or a license, and somebody shows up for an interview on the vague promise that they are getting a car or license, I'm moving on to the next person. They wasted my time.

It isn't like there is a shortage of workers anymore.
Obviously such a person wouldn't be applying for a job as a taxi driver.
For most jobs though such concerns are for after they know they've got a job somewhere.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Ed Anger on April 17, 2010, 11:50:27 AM
Sucks if I wanted a person to start immediately.

Anyways, for more Helicopter parenting fun, http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1940395-4,00.html

the page 4 about Stealth Fighter parents is hilarious.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Strix on April 17, 2010, 12:22:05 PM
Maybe he doesn't trust his kid to actually take the test? If he brings him to the door and waits for him than he knows he took the test.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: sbr on April 17, 2010, 12:34:45 PM
Quote from: Tyr on April 17, 2010, 11:41:02 AM
Quote from: Ed Anger on April 17, 2010, 11:37:48 AM

If the job calls for having reliable transportation or a license, and somebody shows up for an interview on the vague promise that they are getting a car or license, I'm moving on to the next person. They wasted my time.

It isn't like there is a shortage of workers anymore.
Obviously such a person wouldn't be applying for a job as a taxi driver.
For most jobs though such concerns are for after they know they've got a job somewhere.

Only the lowest dregs of humanity don't own their own car in America.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: garbon on April 17, 2010, 12:39:43 PM
I used my mother as a stealth fighter parent.  Whenever a teacher tried to give me a bad grade and couldn't come up with more than a vague reason, I'm bring in the cavalry. :smarty:
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: garbon on April 17, 2010, 12:41:16 PM
Quote from: sbr on April 17, 2010, 12:34:45 PM
Only the lowest dregs of humanity don't have a license in America.

Fixed. After all, those in urban areas often don't need them.

Secondly (to Jos), if you have a license, if living at home, one's parents should feel comfortable letting you borrow a car for a day.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Josquius on April 17, 2010, 12:48:54 PM
Quote from: garbon on April 17, 2010, 12:41:16 PM
Quote from: sbr on April 17, 2010, 12:34:45 PM
Only the lowest dregs of humanity don't have a license in America.

Fixed. After all, those in urban areas often don't need them.

Secondly (to Jos), if you have a license, if living at home, one's parents should feel comfortable letting you borrow a car for a day.
I don't think thats legal.
Not in the UK anyway.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: garbon on April 17, 2010, 12:56:08 PM
To drive your parents' car?
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Josquius on April 17, 2010, 12:59:12 PM
Quote from: garbon on April 17, 2010, 12:56:08 PM
To drive your parents' car?
You need to be insured on a car to drive it I think.
Or IIRC having cover all insurance- which people without a car would be even more unlikely to have, especially kids.
You can't drive without insurance either way.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Monoriu on April 17, 2010, 01:01:28 PM
I am talking about HK.  We're a tiny place where public transport covers almost every cornor.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Josquius on April 17, 2010, 01:02:37 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on April 17, 2010, 01:01:28 PM
I am talking about HK.  We're a tiny place where public transport covers almost every cornor.
Oh yeah, of course, in HK there's no excuse.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: garbon on April 17, 2010, 01:13:40 PM
Quote from: Tyr on April 17, 2010, 12:59:12 PM
You need to be insured on a car to drive it I think.
Or IIRC having cover all insurance- which people without a car would be even more unlikely to have, especially kids.
You can't drive without insurance either way.

Here I think you can have insurance on a car that covers non-immediate family. I can remember driving my aunt's car without my own insurance, but I remember that I couldn't drive my mother's car because as a dependent she'd need to be paying a premium for me.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Richard Hakluyt on April 17, 2010, 02:10:30 PM
It's the same here. You can get insurance that allows all sorts of people to drive your car, naturally it is more expensive than a more restrictive arrangement.
Title: Re: Kids these days
Post by: Camerus on April 17, 2010, 09:18:07 PM
Here in Mainland China I heard of a case last autumn about parents who were helping their kids cheat on exams using ear pieces.  According to the version I heard from my school, the parents were caught and sentenced to several years' jail time.