<p>Audiophile: You say that like it’s a bad thing. I say, “You’d prefer that I live vicariously through a complete stranger?!?!” :)</p>
<p>Yep, I’m “living vicariously through my child” too. It’s true, I admit it! I didn’t have the guidance as a teenager nor did I have the saavy to do it alone. Now I find out what I missed! Sheesh!</p>
<p>The “Parents who live vicariously through their children” have got to be combined with the “Parents with no life,” the “Helicopter Parents,” the “Domentic (sic) goddesses who wonder how to pack their home-baked contributions to the freshman 15” and the “bedding and lofting specialists.”</p>
<p>
Amen to that.</p>
<p>I slip in and out of my kids’ lives all the time for some vicarious thrills, just as I occasionally do with some of the “kids” who like to post in the Parents Forum/Cafe. In a certain sense, that’s what we’re doing every time we attend one of their athletic events, musical performances, ballets, etc. Certainly not a bad thing, more like generational continuity.</p>
<p>“Since we changed over to the new format I have been sending $19.95 a month through a paypal account to an address at ClaremontMcKenna.edu. Haven’t y’all?”</p>
<p>It’s all going to our Heineken Education Fund. In 2007, it goes to $22.95!</p>
<p>Haha. Great people watcher’s thread 
! Here’s my take:</p>
<p>The thread leader - boldy goes where no poster has gone before. Is either a popular poster or just has the uncanny ability to create those threads that take on a life of their own!</p>
<p>Hit or miss types - Also start many threads. They win some, lose some!</p>
<p>First responders - are not afraid to express their (potentially controversial) reaction to an idea. Jump in at the outset. </p>
<p>Middle of the road - Rarely respond to controversial threads but if they do are more cautious about dipping a toe in the water and wait to see what others say first!</p>
<p>Been there done that type - Posts without reading. Hey didn’t that get covered wayyyy back in Post #5?</p>
<p>The thread killers - two subgroups in this category. The first arrives just as others have already gone on to more fertile pastures. Have an uncanny knack of getting the last word because by then nobody is listening! Second group consist of ■■■■■■, and mean people. Everyone leaves the party shortly thereafter!</p>
<p>Also… The Lurkers -are divided up into two groups. Those who read but never post. Those who post questions, but rarely read! </p>
<p>R - at one time or another - honorary Hit or Miss, Middle of the Road, Thread Killer (not the bad kind!) and Lurker’s Society member.</p>
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<p>I’ve done that more than once or twice.</p>
<p>How about the “My DS/DD is the epitome of intellectual altruism and integrity of personality who NEVER EVER did one solitary thing for the sake of college applications” group? Alternatively, the “Parents advocating children just being true to themselves since that worked perfectly well for my incredibly brilliant and multi-talented D/S (lists examples of accomplishments) who is now at HYPS…”</p>
<p>“My DS/DD is the epitome of intellectual altruism and integrity of personality who NEVER EVER did one solitary thing for the sake of college applications” </p>
<p>LOL. For those who have trouble recognizing this group it’s like this. </p>
<p>"Little Johnny just loves to run. He was running one day before a speech he was giving to Harvard Medical School about his genomic research project he had been working on privately and completely on his own since sixth grade (they just insisted, what was he to do? They sounded so desperate.), when he noticed that there was some commotion ahead. He ran a little faster to see if he could help and when he got to the front he had won the Boston Marathon! He didn’t even know it was that weekend as he is anti-competition in all its forms and never watches commercial TV or listens to the radio. Well , after he anonymously donated the prize money (and he never counted it. Can you believe that?) to The Lighthouse for the Blind he told me “Mom- I guess I can’t jog anymore. I don’t like how those medals and awards felt on my neck.” Why can’t they just let Johnny be Johnny?</p>
<p>curmudgeon: I’m really glad you never managed to tear yourself away from CC yet!</p>
<p>I think I fall into the “Hopelessly inadequate individuals hobknobbing with the incredibly accomplished and intelligent CC posters while hoping some of their success and brilliance will rub off” category.</p>
<p>Tuning in here late folks-</p>
<p>but have to add in my 2-cents worth now that LFWB dad has PM’d me that he is polking fun at us academy moms for baking cookies!!! ( I refer, dear friends, to page 5 of this thread…)</p>
<p>So yes- I am a mom who bakes reguarly for my mid- and his roomates- and his squad- and his company- with lots more to go around. Flat rate shipping-it’s a wonderful thing!</p>
<p>And when I get tired of addressing those home-baked delicacies to Annapolis, you can betcha a box finds its way to west point or kings point, and to any other point where our kids are grinding away at their plebe year, or swabbie year, or newbie year, zoomie year or otherwise! </p>
<p>And don’t let LFWB dad give you the wrong idea- I am not a stay-at-home-mom, nor is my fellow-baker-in-crime Jamzmom… nah, we are busy ladies that just miss our mids- like thousands of other parents who miss theirs. And unlike LFWB dad, we can multi-task…so keeping up our posts on cc is still possible!</p>
<p>So I say bring on the bakers… it beats worrying anytime… and LFWB dad, get your butt back to the Annapolis site!!! Whatcha doing over here anyway except spreading your rodeo pics around! Get an apron on and do something useful with your time…even you can slice 'em and bake 'em!!! ;)</p>
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</p>
<p>ps…</p>
<ol>
<li> They are.</li>
<li>They should.</li>
<li>You can bet your 2$$ they can!!!</li>
</ol>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Have nothing to say, but say it anyway. (That’s my motto)</p>
<p>Also, I am sure there must be some people that will read all 8 pages of a thread before posting their reply, but I am in the other group that reads the topic title and posts my reply, which then ends up either being a repeat of something posted 5 times already or a comment that is totally out of context with what is being discussed. Did I achieve either of those objectives with this post??</p>
<p>I’m a member of the “People who don’t have cats but who read every cat thread.” I don’t know why I find those threads so fascinating…</p>
<p>We all know the “Helicopter Parent” archetype. Can’t say I am there, though it is moot. I have long thought myself a member of the [“Hangmotor Parent”](<a href=“http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/WikipediaHangmotor.jpg”>http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/WikipediaHangmotor.jpg</a> ) group. (That’s me there, kinda movin’ right along, but lookin’ down on everything-- making sure it all is workin’ out.)</p>
<p>Closely related to the Hangmotor Parnet would be the Goodyear Parent.</p>
<p>All of us SA Mom’s/Domestic Divas spouses who have grown to the size of blimps from eating left over cookie dough.</p>
<p>heh to both of you! Funny stuff.</p>
<p>Looks like fun, Drosselmeier!</p>
<p>Where is the rubber band? LOL</p>
<p>The I went to a state school and did just great in life and so can you archetype </p>
<p>The Ivy degree will open doors you never dreamed of archetype</p>
<p>The Is A Private Education Worth It subcategory </p>
<p>Standardized testing Gurus</p>
<p>The SAT is not important followers</p>
<p>The SAT is everything believers</p>
<p>The ACT is just as good as the SAT group (some are relatively recent converts to this one ;)</p>
<p>The What are my Chances archetype</p>
<p>The Chances Are Determined By Too Many Things To Tell You Your Chances Groupies</p>
<p>The My Alma Mater is Not A Safety It’s Self Selective Fan Club</p>
<p>Scattergram Junkies</p>
<p>Love American Style forum - advice to the lovelorn</p>
<p>Rock and Rollers - the music thread people (some great suggestions here !)</p>
<p>The Happy Lawyers</p>
<p>The Disgruntled Lawyers</p>
<p>The Happy medical professionals</p>
<p>The Disgruntled medical professionals</p>
<p>And so many more…</p>