Community Chat

[jeanlake]

Two years ago I retired from counseling and advising office in higher ed. We called them helicopter parents and the more aggressive were steamroller parents. But I like the lawnmower term. It makes me laugh. We actually had training on how to relate to these parents. Many kept attorneys on retainer.

I came from a home where the teachers were right and I had to act right. Freshman year -- high school nurse called dad to drive me home -- she guessed I had strep throat. Later, the school nurse phone rang. It was the junior high / middle school nurse. Dad forgot I had moved to the high school that year and he went to junior high school looking for me. Big laugh at my house. Dad was a widow and worked hard. I was the youngest. He was ready to get me raised! He took care of me, I never went hungry, but no one can say he was a helicopter, steamroller or lawnmower parent.

[Another new name Sue]

On 10/21/2014 sylviahomeatlast said: no more swings, slides, or merry go rounds---I hate to say it, but my daughter in law, expecting their first, told Mr Sylvia he had to have a flu shot or he can't see the baby----these (swings,etc )parents have taken all the fun out of life

Your DIL is correct in requesting this. Mr. Sylvia should have his flu shot before being around a new baby, and in some parts of the country, the whooping cough shot as well. This is not being "lawnmower parents," it's protecting a new baby from possibly fatal disease.

[DJs mom]

On 10/22/2014 happygal said:

On 10/21/2014 sylviahomeatlast said: no more swings, slides, or merry go rounds---I hate to say it, but my daughter in law, expecting their first, told Mr Sylvia he had to have a flu shot or he can't see the baby----these (swings,etc )parents have taken all the fun out of life

Your DIL is correct in requesting this. Mr. Sylvia should have his flu shot before being around a new baby, and in some parts of the country, the whooping cough shot as well. This is not being "lawnmower parents," it's protecting a new baby from possibly fatal disease.

My son just turned 6, but I remember when he was born, before I left the hospital with him I had to have a whooping cough vaccine.

[chrystaltree]

Get real. Parents like that are NOT the norm, most of us raise our kids and never even meet a parent like that. They are few and far between and they have ALWAYS existed. There have always been "doting" parents and parents who lived vicariously through their children and parents who believed their kids were "special" and insisted that every teacher, coach etc acknowledge their kid's specialness. What I don't like, what I don't understand is the constant attacks on today's parents. Whether the kids are babies, 4rd graders or college students; some article is always criticizing them for something.

[chrystaltree]

On 10/21/2014 sylviahomeatlast said: no more swings, slides, or merry go rounds---I hate to say it, but my daughter in law, expecting their first, told Mr Sylvia he had to have a flu shot or he can't see the baby----these (swings,etc )parents have taken all the fun out of life

Imagine that, a mom who wants to lessen the risks of her child contracting the flu. Be prepared; she's probably the type who will insist that her kid be in car seat when the grandparents are driving. And horrors....when the kid starts toddling around, she might even insist that you baby proof your house.....

[DoneTryin]

Oh, good grief!

[Financialgrl]

On 10/22/2014 ury said:

Two years ago I retired from counseling and advising office in higher ed. We called them helicopter parents and the more aggressive were steamroller parents. But I like the lawnmower term. It makes me laugh. We actually had training on how to relate to these parents. Many kept attorneys on retainer.

I came from a home where the teachers were right and I had to act right. Freshman year -- high school nurse called dad to drive me home -- she guessed I had strep throat. Later, the school nurse phone rang. It was the junior high / middle school nurse. Dad forgot I had moved to the high school that year and he went to junior high school looking for me. Big laugh at my house. Dad was a widow and worked hard. I was the youngest. He was ready to get me raised! He took care of me, I never went hungry, but no one can say he was a helicopter, steamroller or lawnmower parent.

Soon to be 60 and we heard the same thing. Many of us in this age range and older probably remember that famous speech, "forget about what the school does, worry more about the consequences of your actions once you got home". I seriously believe that everything I am today is because my parents provided that very balance between doing everything for us and nothing. They made it very clear that life wasn't always fair, encouraged us to work through our own issues, fight our own battles, and my all time favorite - - showing personal responsibility, etc. Yet, we always knew they were on our side and made it very clear they were always there and would intercede for the serious issues.

[RetRN]

On 10/23/2014 VCamp2748 said:

Oh, good grief!

No kidding--her rants are so ridiculous.