Raising A Self Sufficient Child When You Are A “Helicopter” Parent

I have to admit I have never really looked up the term “Helicopter Mom” but I have been called it more than once. I assume from the tone it was projected with that it may be perceived with a negative connotation. That being said and as Popeye so self-confidently states: I am what I am, and that’s all that I am.

I have been blessed with the guardianship of 3 beautiful souls as the Mother to my 3 children.

When I tell you I take this job very seriously, its words herein contained supersede every other role I have to play in this lifetime. We are constantly being bombarded with the notion that we are creating “less than” humans in this current worldly environment by “pampering” our children. We constantly hear how to be a productive human you had to have walked through 3 feet of snow to get to school. Having walked through 3 feet of snow to get to school, I can make no such claim that it made me a better human being. The claim I can make is: I wish my single mother had the opportunity to bring me to school without having to worry that she would lose her job by helping her kids.

I am all over my children wanting to love them and smother them with love. What I received as a child was little crumbs left over from a woman who possessed much love but raising 4 children by herself left her with little energy. That lack of my Mother’s attention didn’t make me a better person, it left me with just that, lack. A feeling I vowed my children would never feel.

My older two children were very self-sufficient & diligent when it came to schoolwork, my little one, not so much. Though with the prior there were times that I had to fight the good fight to get them the educational opportunities they, in this parent’s opinion, so richly deserved. In helping my youngest adapt to his new surroundings, I am constantly in contact with his teachers so much so they thank me for taking an interest in my own child. I found that odd at first but was later told: you would be surprised how many parents do not.

If being a Helicopter Mom means I will be the person my young self needed then; that is the way it shall be. And to all the parents out there who want something better for their children than they had, I applaud you. Raising a self-sufficient child as a Helicopter Parent doesn’t mean we enable our children by doing everything for them, it means we recognize that in this journey we call life; having someone who has your back is the greatest gift we can give the next generation.

Elerantula-A project the whole family got an A on!

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Kimberly

Author; Blogger; Self-Proclaimed “Woman” of all trades and Self-Proclaimed “Master” of some! AFAA Certified Group Aerobics Instructor since 1998; MA Licensed Real Estate Agent since 1995; former Certified Financial Counselor and Passionate Advocator of Financial Education for Women. Tech Geek; Home Cook & Most Importantly, Mother of 3, my #1 Reason for Living!!!