August 27, 2011

The ManCHILD

It just baffles me when I'm at work and a call comes through and the person on the other line is just as irate as can be. As I am allowing them to ramble on and on about their bill I quickly review the account in front of me........................I realize when this person is talking about his/her child coming to our facility and this child isn't a child at all.....this child the parent keeps talking about is 30 years old.

Before I kindly interupt this mothers rant a few things cross my mind

1. why are you calling for your perfectly capable 30 something year old?
2. it's time to cut the cord
3. Stop please stop doing things for your manchild

When I kindly interupt the mother I explain that I would need to speak to "mr.manchild" because he is over the age of 18 and an adult. Just imagine my surprise when I heard the mom say "well he's sleeping". I look at the time at it's 1:30........she continues to tell me that he can't possibly pay this bill because he doesn't work. I proceed to tell the mother that once "junior" wakes up to have him call us and we can discuss payment options with him.

OK, I'm sorry if you are reading this and you still have your 20-30 year old attached to your nipple and you do everything for them but wipe their ass. It is unbelievable how many parents can't cut the cord or choose not to. It's one thing to show them the "how to's" of everyday life.......but to be the enabler to their every day life is plain destructive to THEM.

In this situation I wanted to tell the mother to kick Mr,manchilds ass out of bed, get him on the phone and then direct him to the want ads. I get calls like this all day long and the parents have nothing but excuses......like a parent told me yesterday "he's only 20 years old he doesn't know anything about bills", and it being a long day I said "well Mrs. I was 18 ...married..and on my own and I had to learn the hard way and I have a 20 year old who lives in another state, putting herself through school....you just need to explain to them what they are receiving in the mail and have them  call on their own".
Believe me these calls are a wake up call for me ....... because believe me the first bill my child gets he/she will get right on it.

This just reminds me on when my oldest was 18 and she was just about to leave for college but asked me to return something for her at walmart. I told her that I didn't have time and all she had to do was go to customer service and tell them you needed to return it. I of course heard huffs and puff and "i don't know how"......but I just told her she had to learn on her own....it's NOT hard. Now.......she's become a pro!!!