Not a helicopter parent. More like a stealth bomber.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all of the kind comments and wise words yesterday.
When I was a child, I walked a lot of places in our suburban neighborhood. Starting in first grade, I waited for the bus by myself, and I walked home from the bus stop by myself. In spite of my fears, I kept doing it - although I’ll admit that I would have gladly accepted a chauffeured ride. Granted, my mother kept insisting that I keep walking, but I actually took pride in overcoming my fears. Taking the easy way out (or home, as it were) would’ve been a temporary relief.
So what did we decide to do yesterday?
I spoke to our neighbor, and we agreed that the girls would walk home as usual - but that the other girl’s older brother would meet them at the school and walk home with them. Having him there was a comfort to us as parents and to the girls as well.
When I dropped Tacy at kindergarten, I stopped at the school office to let them know what had happened. And when I got home, I received a call from the principal, assuring me that he was concerned about the incident and would be coordinating with the sheriff’s department as well.
The girls arrived home on time and all smiles. They were proud of themselves for being brave enough to walk home after the incident. Tacy even commented that “we would’ve been fine even if [the older brother] hadn’t been with us.”
I didn’t hover, as concerned as I was. Instead, I spread the word, took precautions, and employed deterrents.
Hopefully I can keep this success in mind as we face bigger challenges down the road. The urge to hover is a powerful one.
——————————
How far will you go for your children? Will you hover, or will you drop bombs? Tell us all about it, and you could win a $200 VISA/MC check card. Yep, it’s another PBN Blog Blast, sponsored by Harper Collins.
——————————
I’m nowhere near as much of an open book as my friend the Mominatrix, but tonight I’ll be co-hosting her radio show. That’s right, the one about S-E-X. We’ll be talking with Lou Paget, the orgasm expert. I’m not sure what qualified me to co-host, other than the fact that I will probably ask Ms. Paget a dozen questions all on my own. I mean, orgasms are something that we could all use more of - am I right?! So tune in to hear more from me than you’d ever otherwise hear without the aid of alcohol.
——————————
Finally, please go check out the League of Maternal Justice and send in your nursing photos. This weekend I’m going to lock Kyle in the office with those photos, Adobe Premiere, and a six-pack of Skinny Dip. He’s going to make one hell of a montage, and you ought to be in it.
October 5th, 2007 at 8:04 am
Wow. You are awesome. I don’t know that I could have resisted the hover urge in a situation like that. I will definitely store this lesson in my memory bank for when, and I’m sure I will, I need a nudge to let go a little bit.
October 5th, 2007 at 8:05 am
[...] Not a helicopter parent. More like a stealth bomber. [...]
October 5th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Yes — when it’s time to let them go, you’ll know. It just works out. Every new challenge is different, but it eventually comes.
October 5th, 2007 at 8:32 am
Wow, that’s incredible! I’m impressed. I probably would’ve hovered, if I had kids and all.
October 5th, 2007 at 9:48 am
I’m so glad that the walk home worked out well.
Also, I would LOVE to show Kyle my boobs, but I don’t seem to have any nursing pictures! How’d that happen?
October 5th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Bossy is more like a Paper Airplane parent… ineffectually flying all around and poking small children in the eye.
October 5th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Older brothers rock. When I was in first grade, I was deathly afraid of the overly friendly and gigantic sheep dog that lived at the end of our street. The one who I had to walk past to get home every day. Since I didn’t have a brother, the boy who lived across the street from me and was a worldly fifth grader (gasp) would hold my hand and walk me past the scarey beast. I had a HUGE crush on him for YEARS!
October 5th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
You’re my non-helicopter-ing role model! I’m sure I would have walked with her a couple of days. I wonder what my husband’s reaction would have been? I should ask him.
I have dutifully sent in my photos, including one where I’m fresh out of the shower and my head is all wrapped up in a towel. Hey, at least I found the time for a shower!
October 5th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
What a big brave girl. WTG Tacy.
October 5th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Wow, I can only hope I can be as calm and collected as you were in this situation. Damn, B is only two and she already has me spinning like a top.
October 5th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
my older daughter is eleven and i still wrestle with trying to figure out where to hover and where to let go. i think i will always feel that way as new things always come up. I think you did the right thing here. Sounds like she got the message to be confident but cautious. And you somehow shielded her from a lot of the fear you may have been feeling.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
That was hard. Really hard. I’m not sure I would have pulled it off that well. I would have wanted to hover.
No - Jeff would have held me back from trailing ‘em in a car.
Either way - I’m so glad that the girls were proud of themselves.
You’re equipping future women.
Amazing.
Perfect.
Lovely.
October 7th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
I just caught up with you and holy shit. You did the right thing and it couldn’t have been easy.
And you have a helluva kid there. But you already knew that.
October 8th, 2007 at 7:58 am
Way to go! I can’t imagine how difficult it was for you, but I’m sure years from now your daughter will look back and thank you for giving her the courage to take back what’s hers.
And I love the post title.
October 8th, 2007 at 8:52 am
Good Lord! I would have tracked those boys down. What were they thinking?? Good for you to not change your life based on one experience.
October 13th, 2007 at 11:16 am
well done!
May 19th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
[...] have a Wikipedia entry yet. Google only found references to the B-2 Spirit bomber. I did find one link that explains the condition [...]