Many colleges are complaining about a new problem: parents who refuse to leave after the students have moved in. There are tales of parents who rent hotel rooms in college towns for the first week of classes in case Little Darling forgot to bring his iPod, Xbox or his security blanket. There are parents who won’t leave the new dorm room and parents who call the student every five minutes. It begs the question: If the parents don’t think the new student can make it on their own, why should the college?

You expect a little separation anxiety on the first day of first grade. But the freshman year of college? That’s a little creepy. I can understand being teary-eyed and fearful, but anything past that and we’ve moved into drama-queen territory.

If you think Junior is such a nincompoop, why did you let him apply to some school eight states away instead of the local campus? Is freshman math different at Far Away U than it is at a community college? Junior can always transfer to the status school after a year or two and take his degree there. And with all the money you’ve just saved, maybe you’ll be able to afford it.