Are You Micro-Parenting Your Child?

Are you a helicopter parent who micro-parents every aspect of your child? Do you run to your preschooler's aide when you see another child take a toy from him/her? Do you call the parents of a child who called your child a bad name? Are you still sitting next to your child who is in middle school while he/she is doing their homework? Are you stressed because you think that school is too stressful for your child?  LIGHTEN UP!!! Every child needs to be able to navigate certain situations on their own, in order to grow up to be a functioning adult. This is part of growing up and learning to solve problems and be responsible.

I attended a seminar for a test prep company that provides test prep for high school entrance exams. There was not one, but two parents that asked if they could come to the classes with their children to help them. WTF!!

There are more and more instances where the parents of college students are still trying to micro-parent. A Northwestern University professor, showed a sex toy demonstration after his class ended. All of the students were told about it and were given the option to leave. I could not believe the number of parents being interviewed on the various television news stations. They were expressing outrage that their young adults were exposed to a sex toy demonstration. The parents of college students are reviewing homework assignments as well. A friend of mine teaches at a law school and she had a student complain about a grade. He told her that he didn't deserve the grade she gave him because his mother and father had reviewed his homework.

How are these individuals ever going to grow up to be productive members of society when the parents won't let them experience anything that might be challenging or unpleasant?




9 comments:

  1. So is this where we answer the question?

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  2. This caused me to think of a couple of things. My personal parenting style, as you might recall, is "benign neglect". That said, one of mine needed a lot of parental support last year (grade 9!!), but only because she was so sick she missed around 10 weeks of school. And they still have me proof read their papers. Your post reminded me of an article I read about the new "safer" playgrounds in parks. It suggested that playground injuries hadn't declined significantly, but removing things like monkey bars deprived kids of the opportunities to overcome real fears and obstacles. And now some people are suggesting that schools use video games to put problem-solving skills back in ...

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  3. I sometimes tend to micro-parent.

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    1. Is that it? No elaboration? What's the point in saying it?

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  4. Any articles to help an adult (35) whose mother is still trying to micro parent?

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  5. Amazing stuff of the blogs!! That has amazed me.
    Cindy

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  6. Your blogs and its stuff magnetize me to return again n again.
    Heidi

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