It's understandable that parents are always nervous about their kids flying the nest and heading to college, but some moms and dads are so concerned that they're hiring fake 'moms'.
Heading off to college is always a huge moment.
All of a sudden you've got to start doing your own laundry, making your bed, cooking your meals, and it can be pretty overwhelming.
Advert
Students have usually to take these new life skills head on without the help of mom and dad in the next room.
But, while their actual parents might not be on hand to help, some people have hired a professional 'mom' instead.
These 'moms' are said to be hiring people to do things for their kids such as shop for dorm supplies, make their beds, and wash their clothes, rather than having their offspring do it for themselves.
Advert
However, these services do come at a price - and it's certainly not cheap.
According to the Wall Street Journal, some people are charging as much as $10,000 a year.
Ouch.
It's thought these so-called concierge services saw a spike in popularity over the pandemic as a result of some parents not being able to be with their kids who attended colleges far from home.
Advert
The publication chatted to Mindy Horwitz, who charges $450 a year plus delivery fees.
She has three sons of her own and largely focuses her services on students at Washington University.
According to her, the 'moms' provided the same help as places like Uber, but 'we just do it more lovingly'.
And Horowitz's prices are pretty cheap compared to others.
Advert
Concierge Services for Students, based in Boston, charges an eye-watering $10,000 per academic year.
The company only takes on 30 students at a time, but that's still a staggering $300,000 in revenue at full capacity.
Horwitz also established mindyKnows, whose website reads: "For better or for worse, things come up when your student is in school.
Advert
"If you are looking for local help, you’ve come to the right place. We have been in your shoes. We are not Mom or Dad, but we’re the next best thing.
"Whether it’s month-to-month support, help for the semester, year-round, or your entire undergraduate experience, getting started is as easy as 1-2-3."
It provides options to help students per month, semester, full academic year or all four years of their time at college.
Speaking to Insider, Shari Brooks, director of marketing for mindyKnows, said: "A lot of parents feel anxious that they don't have access to their kids when there is need."
Advert
She also added that the parents 'trust' the moms to provide a 'nurturing' environment without infantalizing their adult children.
Some examples of the things the 'moms' on its books have done include dressing students for job interviews and even delivering medicine in the middle of a snow storm.
Talk about dedication.
Niamh Shackleton