Jul. 31, 2006
I'm Proud to Be a Helicopter
The Washington Post has this article running: Are You a Toxic Parent? Very interesting read.
"Few parents realize until they are deep into the battle to keep their kids safe that the enemy is often other parents."
I'm surprised anyone was even willing to go on record admitting it.
"These stories sell because no matter how lousy a parent you are, you find deep satisfaction in knowing that someone else has mucked up the job worse."
It's a sad thought that any amount of our population would be reduced to this mentality.
"Teenagers get all the ink for being backbiting, cliquish and prone to bad decisions."
"They're just praying to get through it until the kid goes to college."
While my husband and I still have a good many years ahead of us with our sons, we have enjoyed the transition from childhood into the teen years. We all have less than admirable days - including Mom and Dad - so why should we be surprised that our children [while making this teen transition] wouldn't also have grumpy and unattractive days. That doesn't make it okay - it makes us human and sinful. But to want to "just get through it"; why do some parents ever decide to have children? Quite frankly, I dread the day our sons leave home. But is it any wonder so many of the kids like these in this article are lost before they ever get a chance to enter their adult lives?
"The quest for perfect parenting, Saus-ville believes, has led to a ratcheting up of expectations to unreasonable, absurd levels, creating pressure for parents to be hyper-involved in their children's lives, to be that much more deeply aware of their kids' activities than the next parents. She sees a gulf between mothers like her who work and mothers who have quit work and committed themselves entirely to child-rearing."
"In this area, you have to have two incomes to get by. And then the schools call you to come in for a conference at 1 p.m. And you're supposed to be like the moms who have no other life..."
I have no desire to start a "mommy's war" debate - this article and this post have nothing to do with that. However, I believe there are numerous bloggers who will agree with me on the debate surrounding the "have to have" mentality of motherhood.
The article is quite lengthy and covers a variety of absurb and inappropriate parenting episodes - all "social" and "entertaining" related. There is some strong content in the article that may offend some readers. Nowhere in the article have I found any comments about inappropriate parent choices with regard to their children's education.
I'm still reading and re-reading the article to post additional comments and thoughts. Meanwhile, you can consider me a Happy Helicopter!
~ Thoughts anyone?
