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> I think parents need to be reasonably involved with their children even when they are students, but here the child seems to do well so there is no reason to w

> I think parents need to be reasonably involved with their children even when they are students, but here the child seems to do well so there is no reason to worry OP is talking about a full grown adult. Not a child.

jhanschoo 4y ago
Indeed, the adult child of the parent. The word child in English can refer to a very young person, but also commonly refers to the progeny of a person, as in the comment you were responding to, where child was used in reference to the parent that was also referred to in the comment.
poulpy123 4y ago
English is not my native language, what word should I have used ?
- wilg 4y ago
  It's not an incorrect word, but it can be possibly misconstrued as being infantilizing, because "child" somewhat implies a young person. But I can't think of a better word! Perhaps it could have been more a bit more tactful to reword to avoid saying "child", like saying "your son is doing well" in this case.
  - Symbiote 4y ago
    Son or daughter avoids the possibility of infantalizing an adult child.
    - kbrannigan 4y ago
      An adult child is still the kid of her parents.
      - Symbiote 4y ago
        Without further context, "his child was in an accident" suggests a child of ~1-12/16/18. (Younger than ~1 and we should say "baby".) "His son was in an accident" could equally refer to an adult.
    - wilg 4y ago
      That’s what I said. Unfortunate that there is no obvious way to make it gender neutral.
- smegsicle 4y ago
  saying 'his child' wouldn't imply child-age as much as 'the child' does
xboxnolifes 4y ago
To a parent, they will always be their child.
derstander 4y ago
> OP is talking about a full grown adult. Not a child. This is an interesting tangent to me. What makes a full grown adult? Is it being able to drive a car? Being able to serve in the military? Being able to drink? Vote? In the state where I grew up, these were all different ages. And then there’s the scientific notion of when the brain is “finished” developing and maturing in the mid- to late-20s.
- cweagans 4y ago
  In the context of the original ask, I would say "legally allowed to make their own gd decisions about what to study". No idea why OP feels the need to insert himself into that process.
  - derstander 4y ago
    That's fair, but certainly not my definition of a full grown adult.

jhanschoo 4y ago

Indeed, the adult child of the parent. The word child in English can refer to a very young person, but also commonly refers to the progeny of a person, as in the comment you were responding to, where child was used in reference to the parent that was also referred to in the comment.

poulpy123 4y ago

English is not my native language, what word should I have used ?

wilg 4y ago
It's not an incorrect word, but it can be possibly misconstrued as being infantilizing, because "child" somewhat implies a young person. But I can't think of a better word! Perhaps it could have been more a bit more tactful to reword to avoid saying "child", like saying "your son is doing well" in this case.
- Symbiote 4y ago
  Son or daughter avoids the possibility of infantalizing an adult child.
  - kbrannigan 4y ago
    An adult child is still the kid of her parents.
    - Symbiote 4y ago
      Without further context, "his child was in an accident" suggests a child of ~1-12/16/18. (Younger than ~1 and we should say "baby".) "His son was in an accident" could equally refer to an adult.
  - wilg 4y ago
    That’s what I said. Unfortunate that there is no obvious way to make it gender neutral.
smegsicle 4y ago
saying 'his child' wouldn't imply child-age as much as 'the child' does

xboxnolifes 4y ago

To a parent, they will always be their child.

derstander 4y ago

> OP is talking about a full grown adult. Not a child. This is an interesting tangent to me. What makes a full grown adult? Is it being able to drive a car? Being able to serve in the military? Being able to drink? Vote? In the state where I grew up, these were all different ages. And then there’s the scientific notion of when the brain is “finished” developing and maturing in the mid- to late-20s.

cweagans 4y ago
In the context of the original ask, I would say "legally allowed to make their own gd decisions about what to study". No idea why OP feels the need to insert himself into that process.
- derstander 4y ago
  That's fair, but certainly not my definition of a full grown adult.