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As a parent you want to see your college student succeed but chances are there are going to be a few bumps along the way, including difficulties with professors. Although you want to do all you can to help your student succeed, contacting your child’s professor is not the answer. The following reasons will help you have insight into why staying out of things will be much better for your student.

1. No one does this. It’s really not something most people do and often makes your student look bad and makes you look like you need some serious help.
2. It annoys the professor. No one wants to be bullied into doing something, especially grown men and women.
3. The student loses the pity factor. When a student comes to a professor on their hands and knees, it’s nearly impossible to say that nothing can be done. By bringing yourself into the situation, you are only taking away that bond between the student and professor.
4. The professor puts up his or her guard. Professors are often very willing to help if a student admits defeat, but when you bring in an angry parent, their only reaction is to defend themselves. Suddenly, the professor is no longer interested in what they can do to help your student.
5. As a parent you could really go overboard. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, you say something you don’t mean and when you pile on top of anger the frustration of college tuition costs and admissions process, it tends to happen a little more often.
6. You could really embarrass your child. When you’re in a position where you are having a one-on-one conversation with someone in your student’s life but not a main player, it is easy to accidentally drop some information about your son or daughter that the other person doesn’t know. This causes for embarrassment on your end as well as your student’s.
7. By calling you are coming in the middle of the game and might mess up the situation more. You don’t know all the details and by coming in and trying to play ruler, you could really cause more harm than good to the situation.
8. The intervention brands the student as a child. By having their “Mommy” or “Daddy” call in and complain, you are officially saying that your son or daughter is incapable of doing what needs to be done and working things out on their own.
9. It exposes a family problem. If you go crazy on your student’s professor, it’s only going to give said professor an excuse to assume your son or daughter is just as messed up.
10. It shows that you-not your student-don’t really understand what college is. High school and college are very different. In high school, your student might need some assistance and they have every right to ask for it as they are still children. College, on the other hand, is where they become adults. You have to understand that line.

This post was derived from a U.S. News article which you can read here.