On Monday morning I read with wry amusement your senior writer Janet Silvera's coverage of noted attorney-at-law Nathan Robb's comments at the Cornwall College Old Boys' Association dinner and awards ceremony held last Saturday. Headlined 'Mama's boy crisis', Mr Robb makes reference to "overprotective mothers being responsible for the new breed of lacklustre young men in the society".

Apparently an expert on the socialisation process of young boys and its impact on their "lacklustre" academic performance in comparison to that of the girls they "are lagging so badly behind", Mr Robb's recommendations include that "overprotective mothers allow for real-life situations ... [and that] their boys should remain for after-school mingling".

Unclear theories

The basis of this eminent attorney's theories remains unclear, but as a mother of three sons, I would definitely be interested in his research on: the comparative performances of boys vs girls in our institutions of learning; the long-standing record of girls excelling over their male counterparts as being intrinsic to the overprotective "mothers"; and his hypothesis on these "mollycoddling" mothers' reluc-tance to expose their sons to "real-life situations" ostensibly found in extra-curricular activities after school.

I can just imagine the resounding and overwhelming approval to Mr Robb's sexist remarks from the testosterone-driven 'good old boys' in the audience, many of whom relish any opportunity available to criticise and belittle women and their relationships with their sons.

I suggest that Mr Robb look to the reality that the academic successes in our society (of boys as well as girls) invariably lead to the 'lap' of these mothers ... the mollycoddling mothers who provide breakfast; facilitate the lunches; attend the staff meetings and teachers' meetings; shop for uniforms; oversee homework and projects; instilling discipline and moral principles, at times in the absence of fathers. (Outstanding students invariably highlight their mothers as being pivotal to their success).

Haphazard activities

Prove to our readers, Mr Robb, that the resistance of any caring, concerned mother to subject her son(s) to the customarily under-supervised, poorly structured and haphazard after-school activities (oftentimes sadly lacking in adequate security from outside criminal element) has any substan-tiated impact on performance.

Prove to our readers, Mr Robb, that "after-school mingling" enhances a student's ability to "bond with children of varying backgrounds" and "resolve conflicts". Then, if you will, balance that premise against: the reality of a society that is out of control in so far as crime and violence are concerned; a population's exposure to unspeak-able horrors involving our youth; and the apathetic inability to correct the problems, from the government level right down to the very schools that our children attend.

Unfettered hooliganism

Mr Robb's macho attack against mothers who seek to protect their sons from the unfettered "hooliganism" that exists after school, on the football fields and elsewhere may have undoubtedly gained him resounding applause from particularly the men in his audience. However, the reality is that what the majority of boys' schools offer as extra-curricular activities in fact allows little opportunity for healthy, interactive, social-building skills. Unless, of course, the 'real-life' exposure to knife-wielding students who steal school bags, football gear and taxi fare (adult supervision in absentia) are all a part of character building?

I am, etc.,

OVERPROTECTIVE

MOTHER