Helicopter Parents

April 2, 2010

Recently I became an uncle for the sixth time. My brother and his wife had a bouncing (probably not really bouncing) baby boy. They named him after me…sort of…and they sent around photos to the entire family. Cool stuff.

But we’re not here today to discuss the merits of continuing the family name or of having children in hospitals instead of deep in the woods like we were bred to do (ironically). We’re here to discuss the growth of helicopter parents. That’s right, not Blackhawks or Sikorsky, but just random helicopters. More like the Magnum PI variety…the type that just hangs over a location.

Why I bring this up is because lately I’m annoyed at how much people, parents particularly, baby their children. OK, babies are children and they’re actually supposed to be babied. I mean, where do you think the word babied comes from? Nevertheless, I think the babying has got to stop.

Here are some situations that I’ve heard of recently…and some I’ve made up. They all have to stop.

1 – parents who drive their kids .25 of a mile to school on a warm Spring day. And the kids are 14.

2 – parents who put hand sanitizer all over their children, but still rail against vaccines as evil substances

3 – parents who won’t allow their children to become chainsaw jugglers in the circus – as this might teach kids a real lesson about finality and consequences.

I guess my point is that there are so many parents and other extended family members who do a great job, why can’t the bad ones learn from them? Or MAYBE, if you’re not ready to have children and continue your bad behavior for multiple generations, go get yourself neutered or spade.

Do you know any helicopter parents? Please share in the comments.

More to come…