<p>Creekland, regarding the HIV trial, have your son fax you the paper work he was given to explain the trial so you clearly know what is being injected. You want to know exactly what he is agreeing to and show it to your family doctor if you have any questions.</p>
<p>I like the way they wait until the kids turn 18 so they don’t need parental consent to agree to something like this.</p>
<p>I cannot get over this mom, boysx3! Your neighbor’s son should not answer the phone if she calls–that is what I would tell my son if he was in that situation. I would also report her as a stalker to the campus, ummm, authorities? Or maybe, woody’s wackaloon challenge is the best approach!!</p>
<p>Wow–had a “to the point” text from S thanking me for the goodies that arrived from me via Amazon. From the pictures his dorm floor has been posting on his FB page it looks like he is having a ball. Yay!!</p>
<p>Woody35, your roomie mom story was so funny. For some reason I visualized her as the dance teacher on the Dance Moms show - the one who runs the rival school, Candy Apples (?).</p>
<p>Boysx3, in time, neighbor’s S gets to move on but his roomie will never be able to shake off his stalker mom. So sad.</p>
<p>boysx3 - I remember someone saying the neighbor boy would be fine after classes got started because there was no way the roomie’s parents would visit campus much. I remember thinking about how our family used to zip down to visit the relatives 4 hours away about every 6 weeks and it wasn’t really a big deal for us. So I knew she’d be popping in again soon! </p>
<p>Sad to say, but maybe the neighbor boy needs to find some other building to hang out in while the parents are there so he’s not available to be abused by General Mom. Oh wait, but still NOT let the visiting little brother sleep in his bed! (once that happens, they will probably always expect it!) Or neighbor boy needs to memorize how to say, “Ma’am, you’re not my parent and I can do whatever I want in my own room” with a cheerful smile on his face. Along with, “Ma’am, I’m not roomie’s parent and I know he can take care of himself without my help.”</p>
<p>Garmy’s mom - she emailed, called, and texted me this week. I have been very unavailable. (no, really!) Sigh. I will need to get back to her tonight or tomorrow but I’ve already gone beyond the rudeness level in not responding. She probably thinks I hate her and I can’t have her poisoning Garmy against me like a bad divorced parent.</p>
<p>I like the statements Woody35 suggested–and a little practice saying them out loud wouldn’t hurt. Any chance the roommate agreement limits overnight guests? Or the RA could limit contact with family in the room? Of course, they are welcome to visit roomie at their hotel…just limited visitation in the room.</p>
<p>Woody, you better repond. You don’t want Garmy crying in the corner because no one is answering his calls…</p>
<p>If the neighbor boy knows the family is coming to visit, he could spill something ugly but harmless on his comforter in an obvious spot, let it dry, and then not wash it until after they leave. Dried chicken soup can look like ummmmmm, a lot of different things.</p>
<p>And let it be known to his roomie that he almost never washes his sheets, pillowcases, and any other bedding. Maybe that’ll keep the roomie’s little brother out of his bed! Okay, it’s a tad extreme. Just trying to help! But if it annoys General Mom, yippee!</p>
<p>I finally responded to Garmy’s mom tonight with an email. I was feeling a tad guilty I was ignoring her three attempts to reach out to me in the past week or so. </p>
<p>PN is doing an awesome job of updating the Wackaloon offspring launches! So is giterdone but I know his D’s launch is fast approaching. We can’t wait to hear how long it took to set up her roomie’s 1000-inch TV and entertainment system! You do know what a guy-magnet that’s going to be, right?! Guess who’s hosting the dorm’s Super Bowl party!</p>
<p>boysx3 - I am kind of surprised your neighbor is laid back.</p>
<p>I suggest the following:</p>
<p>She needs to collect all the emails from her son, send it to his roommate and say, </p>
<p>Tell your mom to stop sending crappy emails to my son. I am his mom and I don’t approve of her sending emails that tell him what to do. I am the only one who can tell him what to do just like she seems to be the one who tells you what to do. If she does not stop, I will be sending you exact opposite of what she is asking my son to do.</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>Do this before she shows up on campus.</p>
<p>Having had some experience in clinical research, I would say emphatically no to my kid participating in the vaccine study.</p>
<p>Texaspg - you may be onto something. Maybe neighbor mom should tell General Mom she’s going to email Gen Mom’s son with a ridiculous demand every time neighbor boy receives one. Or compile all the requests in one list and send it back to General Mom asking her why she doesn’t feel this is an excessive amount of demands and requests to a young college guy who she DOES NOT EVEN KNOW! The college matched neighbor boy to the roommate, they did not match him to the mother! If a female student’s father issuing that many demands/requests to his D’s female roomie, people would be seriously creeped out and the girl would probably feel very disturbed about receiving them. No difference here!</p>
<p>I like Woody’s point. </p>
<p>Bubmom- I had the same problem with my D’s mailroom. I sent a package 2 day with confirmation and the post office delivered it at 9am the morning it was supposed to get there, but the mailroom didn’t have it, couldn’t find it, etc. D checked with them too. It did arrive 2 days later. Supposedly the first 2 weeks are the worst as every parent is sending forgotten items and care packages. I sent her another package the following week and she received it in the expected 2 days.</p>
<p>D is finally giving me a chance to miss her. No contact for 2 days. :)</p>
<p>jackie- I did get CSI for D and forgot about it. I’ll have to see what to do to file a claim.</p>
<p>Finally a distraction after dropping my S off a week ago … H and I are helping D move this weekend in Boston so we’ll be using physical labor to ward off empty nest blahs.</p>
<p>But, thanks to your discussion about mail rooms and packages, I sent a care package to my S so he knows we’re thinking of him. Maybe he’ll get it in less than 2 weeks since his school is small.</p>
<p>Boysx3 - the crazy roomie mom, is really crazy. And controlling. I’d be concerned for the safety of my child when such a crazy person is on the loose. Well, that is what I would tell the RA and the Dean of Student Affairs. :} </p>
<p>First, I would tell the boy to tell his roomie that his mom needs to stop texting/calling/emailing him. Period. No explaination as to why it is inappropriate for her to do so in the first place. Non crazy people already know that.</p>
<p>Second, when that doesn’t work (and it won’t) I’d have boy text crazy mom and say, “I am a college student who happens to live in a room with your son. We need to work out our issues without your involvement. Please stop texting/calling/emailing me.” Wash, rinse, repeat. Wash rinse, repeat. In addition, I would add that roomie’s brother is not invited to sleep overnight in the room as the mom isn’t really prepared to let that happen without undue restrictions.</p>
<p>Third, I’d have next door neighbor boy go to the RA and show him a collection of crazy lady’s messages and firmly state that “I am not prepared to live my college life in accordance with roomie’s mom’s conditions. She needs to stop or you need to move me to a different room.”</p>
<p>Fourth, say the same things to the next level up in the college residence hall food chain. </p>
<p>The neighbor boy does not have to explain himself to crazy mom. He just has to say it is inappropriate to speak to crazy mom and all his cmmunication will be with his roomie. Period. </p>
<p>This lady is going to burst and it is not going to be pretty.</p>
<p>Boysx- I think your neighbor son’s rm’s mom is beyond General mom - she is a reverse “mama’s boy”…what do you call that? A extreme baby mama or BMX? If this continues, she is setting up the kid failure to launch, let alone annoying everyone else! She is also doing irreparable damage to her sons self esteem.</p>
<p>I am trying to get used to the “new normal” (so true) here. </p>
<p>DS has called or texted a few times asking for online assistance finding an open class (to swap a class he is concerned with) but he seems to be okay otherwise. I have got to stop my internal monologue (and keep the helicopter blades switched off). He can handle this, I know it but my inner helicopter is concerned about what will happen when the novelty of the launch wears off and the kids get homesick. </p>
<p>I have always had a problem in that I am always anticipating any future difficulties or snags…it can be a useful trait as well but most of the time it just isn’t healthy for me.</p>
<p>I like Geogirl’s suggestion for dealing with General Mom (or BMX Mom). I wonder if it would work, but it’s certainly worth a try. I’m glad I didn’t grow up with her…</p>
<p>I’m still mulling the whole HIV trial thingy. I guess if the vaccine worked, it would always be a plus - esp since he’s thinking med school and one never knows what could happen with needle pricks (or normal life). However, my mind keeps replaying commercials about class action suits due to things not being safe that were previously thought safe.</p>
<p>Then I don’t want to be a General Mom myself and make a decision either way for him. Maybe I should just share my pros/cons as advice and let him choose. We don’t need $750 that badly…</p>
<p>The multitude of money making options appear endless at this research school, but it’s usually $30 here, $75 there, $10 somewhere else with other options he’s told me about. It’s ideal for kids who want a little extra spending $$. I remember doing some of the same when I was in college. There’s nothing of the sort available where we live.</p>
<p>Son called last night and hubby didn’t wake me up. GRR! Yes, I go to bed early since I also rise early, but still… The summary is that he likes both classes he’s been to so far and is getting some nuts and bolts set on a job and financial aid forms.</p>
<p>If I were neighbor boy’s mom, I’d just have him block all texts/calls/email from this woman’s account. That can be done, right?</p>
<p>If the boy’s mom is that crazy then I would rather keep those texts and emails for future reference. Tell your neighbor’s kid not to respond.</p>
<p>i kind of agree with oldfort. the boy should not respond in anyway back to this lady. any response should be coming from his parents telling the other paretn to cease and desist.</p>
<p>Just tell her politely that their son has strict orders not to listen to her in anyway and it is no way appropriate for her to be emailing their son with any instructions.</p>
<p>Care package ideas: [Hip</a> Kits Just Because Gifts](<a href=“College Care Packages”>College Care Packages)</p>
<p>I personally won’t be ordering any of these, as I have time and inclination to compile my own care package ingredients, but for the super stressed out parents and grandparents who want to send somethings, this service would be useful.</p>
<p>We are a week launched now and, while I’m sure I’m not done weeping now and then alone in my car, I’m feeling more empty nest equilibrium overall. Loosening my grip more than losing it.</p>
<p>I would suggest neighbor boy give the same answer every time no matter what the issue crazy mom raised, “I am a college student who happens to live in a room with your son. We need to work out our issues without your involvement. Please stop texting/calling/emailing me.” After time 10, then I would just not answer and block all messages. However, by that time I would be in discussions with RA and the next person up the chain. Although neighbor boy shouldn’t have to be dealing with this, he is, and I wouldn’t get his mom involved until neighbor boy went up the chain of command himself. </p>
<p>On a positive note: Neighbor boy’s mom now looks like a saint, and she can request that her son call once a week just to chat. In comparison to crazy mom, that seems very reasonable!!</p>