My wife & I have an 18-year-old son. He started university in September, studying medicine. There he met this 41-year-old man - a classmate, and they became really good friends. This man has just started university now at this age because apparently he was born poor and in the first half of his life was focused on making money, but medicine is a dream of his. Son has always been an introverted, shy, socially awkward kid with little friends, but now goes out often. Honestly my wife & I are uncomfortable, and we can’t help but side eye the dude.
I wasn’t necessarily looking for ways to “do something about it”, the question was more about my own thoughts. And I don’t see having an open conversation about potential dangers / concerns and worries as “controlling”, we already had a good talk about it, went very well. This isn’t his first meaningful friendship outside his hometown, he never left his hometown - we live in our country s largest city & all the good schools are here; he still lives at home like most of the students raised in the city.