University students are sending an average of 528 text messages per year to their parents seeking help with a range of issues, according to a study commissioned by Costa Coffee. The survey, which included 2,000 parents of students who had left for university in the past five years and 1,000 teenagers, found that many young adults struggle with independence.
The most common requests include financial assistance, with 41% of students asking parents to send money, and practical domestic questions. Top queries involve understanding cooking instructions, such as how to tell if chicken is cooked, and managing household utilities, like reading an electricity meter or locating the stopcock.
Other frequent requests cover job interview preparation, including what to wear and what questions to ask, as well as navigating living arrangements, such as dealing with messy flatmates. Some students also ask for help with basic financial management, like setting up a direct debit, or larger requests like having items posted to them.
Despite the frequency of these appeals, the study indicates that parents often have a positive view of these interactions. Sixty-one percent of parents surveyed feel as though their child has never truly left home, and a quarter admit their relationship with their child hasn't changed despite the shift in communication. Eight in ten parents reported that they secretly enjoy receiving these messages.
Dr. Ritika Suk Birah, a consultant counselling psychologist, suggested that this parental enjoyment stems from an enduring instinct to support and guide children, even as they become adults. She noted that being asked for advice, even on simple matters, can reaffirm a parent's continued importance in their child's life.