'Bama Mama' offers paid service to parents of Alabama college students doing laundry, groceries, and cleaning their room: 'Isn't this infantilizing?'

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Sep 22, 2026 9:15 AM EDT

Isn't college where young people are supposed to develop their independence?

It isn't uncommon to be kind of useless when you are 18. It is traditionally a time to take those first steps into a semi-adult world, but adulthood, like any other skill, can only be figured out through experience that even a lot of supposedly grown-up people don't seem to have. For those who have never known anything but the support of the parental home, existing outside of that can be a steep learning curve. Everybody arrives at independence in their own time.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of helicopter parents out there who don't seem to want to let their kids make mistakes and figure things out on their own. They feel the need to do a kindergarten-level of parenting when their children are almost old enough to drink. While every child wants to feel like their parents care about them no matter how old they are, it is possible for too much concern to end up stunting their personal growth. By college age, a parent should be there to help, but they should not be in charge of managing everything about their life. We all have to grow up one day.

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  • A college student studies at her desk in her dorm room.
    via Andrej Lišakov (Unsplash+)

    A college student studies at her desk in her dorm room. Scene is illustrative and does not depict actual individuals or events.
     

  • While going to college can be a difficult transition for both students and parents, sometimes that discomfort can be an important learning moment. When you have nobody else doing your laundry anymore, you quickly learn that it is up to you to make sure you don't run out of clean underwear. 

    Social media recently realized that for parents who are too worried about leaving their kids to fend for themselves in a dorm, they don't have to let their kids find out this kind of stuff. The ‘Bama Mama’ service offers to do all kinds of things for Alabama college students for up to $1499 per semester. It may give peace of mind to neurotic moms and learned-helpless young adults, but that doesn't mean it's good in the long run.

  • $1500/semester

    Bama Mama • Follow 1d. BAMA MAMA WAS FEATURED IN THE NE... See more Bama A ama MAMA CONCIERGE SERVICES = Here to make college life easier for both of you. LOCAL. RELIABLE. HERE FOR YOUR STUDENT, ALWAYS.♡ ♡ MAMAY Bama Mama STUDENT CHECK-INS GROCERY DELIVERIES GIFT BASKETS AND SO MUCH MORE! You focus on the memories. I'll handle the rest. ROLL TIDE! Personal Assistant Call now
    via RandRCigars
  • Alabama Parents & Families • Join • . Carrie Elizabeth Eck... Al content 1d . Okay, Bama parents—this is what we've... See more BAMA MAMA TUSCALOOSA Student Concierge Packages WE'VE GOT YOUR STUDENT. You get peace of mind. ESSENTIALS $999/SEMESTER | $275/MONTH A little help from Mom, even when Mom is miles away. WEEKLY LAUNDRY SERVICE Wash, dry & fold - every week. MONTHLY MOM CHECK-IN + TREAT One personal check-in each month with a small treat, drink or snack. MONTHLY GROCERY & FRIDGE RESTOCK W
    via RandRCigars
  • 13077 GEARS R&R Cigars @RandRCigars For the record I am not hating...props to bama mama for capitalizing on this market
    via RandRCigars

  • It could be a truly practical service.

    Jaimi @mammahov4 Son at Bama. I have used her. 2am, fever, he had been vomiting for hours and was too weak to walk, and his vision was blurred. I had no one to call to help him. At 2am she was at his dorm door to drive him to the hospital. Forever grateful. But yes, kids do your own laundry
    via mammahov4
  • magical mama @funny_layde Spend 5 minutes on any university parent Facebook page and you will see moms that have never let their child figure anything out on their own.
    via funny_layde
  • CB @CBatulis Between just the weekly laundry, monthly grocery restock, and monthly room cleanup - I'd say this woman is putting in at least 12 hours of work in per month. That comes out to less than $23 an hour, without acknowledging the other perks. Honestly a good deal
    via CBatulis

  • Kids have to learn somehow.

    tv remote @tv_remote isn't this infantilizing for people who are supposed to be learning how to integrate and care for themselves
    via tv_remote
  • @biccboye "for an additional $499 a semester, not only will i bring your child starbucks twice a month instead of once, ill also give him a dozen cookies!" d In lol bama rly over here fleecing the h_l outta these moms
    via biccboye
  • MARYLAND WOMANLY WORDS Prostalorty we Thurman @Thurman Olav I'll start "[school] dad" and it's just an ai chatbot that says "yeah that's rough" a lot and makes bad jokes.
    via ThurmanOlav
  • Stanley Hudson Jr @Just_Call_Me_AJ Lmao dawg my mom dropped me off and said good luck. Probably checked in a few times over the semester. $1500 is nuts!
    via Just_Call_Me_AJ

  • They even got memes involved.

    Jonathan Myers @jdawg077 I need to know what's in there so badly Б ay 6-7 6-7 BASKET (JUST BECAUSE) Encouragement, snacks & a little home in a box. P
    via jdawg077
  • bri @smackieburkhart "bama mama" doesn't rhyme/is an abominable use of english language and i can't believe there's not a single comment about it here
    via smackieburkhart
  • lev@abookofsymbols don't these colleges have student health centers, student counseling, dorm events with ice cream and cookies around exam time, etc...? like that's pretty normal no? colleges already function as in loco parentis how many parentii do we need
    via abookofsymbols

  • It's the mother of all side hustles.

    G Nikolaj ◆ @nikicaga Getting even a couple of people to pay for this must be amazing for them Imao
    via nikicaga
  • madison @madison_tayt i truly cannot comprehend how we've gotten to such a paranoid and infantilized point in society
    via madison_tayt
  • LINDSEY @LindseyCreated | SaaS ... As a fully functional adult who is far from in college - I would like the Peace of Mind package
    via LindseyCreated

  • Students need to learn independence.

    Tierani @tierani_kristen Raising fragile, incompetent adults.
    via tierani_kristen
  • laidbackdevil @laidbackdevil guys do we think the commodification of maternal love is good for society
    via laidbackdevil
  • Tweet is the Work @NoblestCalling "Who is that?" "Oh that's just some lady my mom paid to helicopter parent me while I am at college"
    via NoblestCalling

  • Parents have to let go at some point.

    B @Billy_chilly You're a bad parent if you hire someone to watch over your kid at university. let em be
    via Billy_chilly

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dorm room cleaning parenting college student
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