Helicopter Parenting and the Non-Coping Child

I’m venting again! Same issue… same parent!

One of Boo’s friends, Em is the most coddled child in the world. She is well on her way to being crippled by her mother’s helicopter parenting. Her mother is constantly nearby. Yes, even in the school yard, they live 2 doors from the school, and loiters, collects her child frequently before lunchtime etc.

It appears this child is sheltered from all life’s disappointments, rejection, failure and upheavals. The mother constantly whittles on about how she’s a sensitive child. I’m sorry help your child build some coping strategies, foster some resilience and let her watch Disney movies and teach her about the real world.

Today we had a class picnic. Boo and her besty, Amy had climbed to the top of the monkey bars and were sitting there chatting when Em arrived. Helicopter mum heads over with Em. Em asks them if they want to come down and play cricket. Boo and Amy say no, they don’t want to play cricket and no, they don’t want to come down. Sheltered Em, of course cannot climb to the top of the monkey bars.

That’s the story Boo and Amy gave. They are 6 years old and may or may not be able to work on getting their stories straight! They were on top of the monkey bars though.

Helicopter mum approaches Amy’s mum and I and says “Amy and Boo, won’t play with Em and said they are going to hide from her. Can you deal with this, as I just can’t this morning, and with just having moved house yesterday (next door to her parents) I don’t want Em upset!”

Muttering under my breath and rolling my eyes behind my sunglasses,I headed off to speak to Boo, only because Amy’s mum was headed over to the girls.

Poor Amy copped it and was made to apologise to Em. What she had to apologise for, I have no idea.

If my child does not want to play with your child… too bad, too sad! That’s life!

Teach her to build a bridge and get over it! FFS!!!

If we had not been at the school picnic I would have told her what I really think.