Comments on: How to Avoid Fighting With Your Parents While Home for Christmas Break http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/ Decoding Patterns of Success Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:27:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Devin Willis http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-8639 Devin Willis Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:33:44 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-8639 As a parent I really enjoyed this post and comments. It will <strong>help me</strong> take steps at becoming a better father. I think everyone can become part of the solution vs. the problem. You all gave some great solutions! Thank You, Devin As a parent I really enjoyed this post and comments. It will help me take steps at becoming a better father. I think everyone can become part of the solution vs. the problem. You all gave some great solutions!

Thank You,

Devin

]]> By: Kelly Sutton http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7662 Kelly Sutton Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:36:29 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7662 To those wondering how to get their parents to let them to do work: In my experiences home this Christmas break, it's not necessarily them that is the problem. Rather parents an easy scapegoat for your own procrastination. Set up specific work times, establish a makeshift working environment and stick to it. After becoming more aware of exactly what was preventing me from getting work done, I started being productive again. It did require me to be curt with them at one point, but no hard feelings (I hope). To those wondering how to get their parents to let them to do work:

In my experiences home this Christmas break, it’s not necessarily them that is the problem. Rather parents an easy scapegoat for your own procrastination. Set up specific work times, establish a makeshift working environment and stick to it.

After becoming more aware of exactly what was preventing me from getting work done, I started being productive again. It did require me to be curt with them at one point, but no hard feelings (I hope).

]]> By: JT http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7639 JT Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:27:07 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7639 Your advice was really helpful. I really tried to avoid talking about classes this semester, but I felt like I had to because my parents have so much hope in me to do well in college compared to my older brother. I just had a fight with my mom over my D+ in Physics for Non-Scientists (classical and modern physics minus the mathematical work). I took it as my science gen ed class that has no effect on my classes for my major. It's nice being back home. However, it's worse when you have to tell your parents you're not getting Dean's List because of one lone grade, and they guilt trip you, saying that you didn't concentrate enough on physics and you concentrated more on your relationship, why didn't you ask for help, etc. Then they have a negative attitude towards you for a day or two. I wished I never brought it up :(. Your advice was really helpful. I really tried to avoid talking about classes this semester, but I felt like I had to because my parents have so much hope in me to do well in college compared to my older brother.
I just had a fight with my mom over my D+ in Physics for Non-Scientists (classical and modern physics minus the mathematical work). I took it as my science gen ed class that has no effect on my classes for my major. It’s nice being back home. However, it’s worse when you have to tell your parents you’re not getting Dean’s List because of one lone grade, and they guilt trip you, saying that you didn’t concentrate enough on physics and you concentrated more on your relationship, why didn’t you ask for help, etc. Then they have a negative attitude towards you for a day or two. I wished I never brought it up :( .

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7624 Study Hacks Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:53:33 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7624 <blockquote>What happens if you have the opposite problem over the holidays–you want to work and your parents would rather travel and have you go out with them?</blockquote> You can get good work done while traveling (it's basically adventure studying) you just have to make clear plans in advance about when and where you are going to work. See this article from last year for some tips on holiday break work: http://calnewport.com/blog/2007/12/19/5-tips-for-working-effectively-over-christmas-break/

What happens if you have the opposite problem over the holidays–you want to work and your parents would rather travel and have you go out with them?

You can get good work done while traveling (it’s basically adventure studying) you just have to make clear plans in advance about when and where you are going to work. See this article from last year for some tips on holiday break work:

http://calnewport.com/blog/2007/12/19/5-tips-for-working-effectively-over-christmas-break/

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7623 Study Hacks Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:52:05 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7623 <blockquote>The thing that always gets me is that my mum, no matter what, INSISTS that its the number of hours you put in. </blockquote> I would suggest either buying her a copy of STRAIGHT-A, or following Evelyn's strategy of refusing to even mention anything related to university!

The thing that always gets me is that my mum, no matter what, INSISTS that its the number of hours you put in.

I would suggest either buying her a copy of STRAIGHT-A, or following Evelyn’s strategy of refusing to even mention anything related to university!

]]> By: lastminuteacademic http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7620 lastminuteacademic Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:35:06 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7620 Oh did I mention she only got a 2:1 and went to the same kind of university as me (in the rankings)?! Typical! Oh did I mention she only got a 2:1 and went to the same kind of university as me (in the rankings)?! Typical!

]]> By: lastminuteacademic http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7619 lastminuteacademic Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:34:31 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7619 The thing that always gets me is that my mum, no matter what, INSISTS that its the number of hours you put in. Being back home is nice for the food etc, but realy, sometimes you wonder if its worth it! It's *always* the number of hours. Nothing less than 6-8 hours of hard study a day will get you a 1st. And we all know that that's rubbish! Happy Holidays! The thing that always gets me is that my mum, no matter what, INSISTS that its the number of hours you put in. Being back home is nice for the food etc, but realy, sometimes you wonder if its worth it! It’s *always* the number of hours. Nothing less than 6-8 hours of hard study a day will get you a 1st. And we all know that that’s rubbish!

Happy Holidays!

]]> By: JC http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7618 JC Sun, 28 Dec 2008 20:10:59 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7618 Wow...I thought college home fights were isolated incidents, but I guess parents are quite similar all around. Very revealing, and I definitely agree with the advice. Wow…I thought college home fights were isolated incidents, but I guess parents are quite similar all around. Very revealing, and I definitely agree with the advice.

]]> By: Evelyn http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7617 Evelyn Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:54:11 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7617 Oh, this is such a sweet advice, and very well put. Had I seen it before the holidays, I'd have been grateful for it, knowing how holidays generally are. But I just returned from my parents and we didn't have a single fight, not even a discussion! The easiest strategy is: Don't mention classes, majors, exams, or anything uni-related altogether (it IS difficult). And don't talk about your parents' jobs (they need a break too!), not even about doing the dishes - just do them :) Worked perfectly well for me. We had a wonderfully peaceful, quiet, relaxed Christmas! You know, life is soooo much more than studying, career, work... Just my two (Euro-) cents Have a happy New Year everyone. Oh, this is such a sweet advice, and very well put.
Had I seen it before the holidays, I’d have been grateful for it, knowing how holidays generally are. But I just returned from my parents and we didn’t have a single fight, not even a discussion!
The easiest strategy is: Don’t mention classes, majors, exams, or anything uni-related altogether (it IS difficult). And don’t talk about your parents’ jobs (they need a break too!), not even about doing the dishes – just do them :) Worked perfectly well for me. We had a wonderfully peaceful, quiet, relaxed Christmas!

You know, life is soooo much more than studying, career, work…

Just my two (Euro-) cents

Have a happy New Year everyone.

]]> By: Philip R. http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7616 Philip R. Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:45:00 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/12/26/how-to-avoid-fighting-with-your-parents-while-home-for-christmas-break/#comment-7616 What happens if you have the opposite problem over the holidays--you want to work and your parents would rather travel and have you go out with them? I'm finding it pretty difficult to juggle a thesis and exams over the break, especially when I don't have any hours that are set (rather, I'm just left with arbitrary "free" time which could range from 1-7 hours per day). What happens if you have the opposite problem over the holidays–you want to work and your parents would rather travel and have you go out with them? I’m finding it pretty difficult to juggle a thesis and exams over the break, especially when I don’t have any hours that are set (rather, I’m just left with arbitrary “free” time which could range from 1-7 hours per day).

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