Are you a Helicopter Parent? A Lawnmower Parent? Or a Que Sera Parent?

Most of us evolve through these stages of parenting. From holding baby number 1 and wishing we could literally wrap them in cotton wool, to watching babies 2 and 3 enter toddlerhood and accepting that eating a little dirt is probably good for their digestive system… and their immunity… Right?

So, don’t be too hard on yourself. Most of us get a little crazy after the birth of baby number 1. Googling every worst-case scenario, sanitising every surface and item they touch, and closely monitoring every developmental milestone and bowel movement.

Growth

I realised just how much I’d moved on when I took child number 2 to our GP recently, and she asked when he’d said his first word, taken his first step and started eating solids. I really had to think about it. And I realised I was finally free of my manic Helicopter Parent state. FREE!

As parents, we can be far too hard on ourselves and live in fear.

Here are some liberating tips from parenting experts:

From Jenny Atkinson: As soon as your child is capable of doing something themselves, let them do it. Step back, and your child will step up. Let your children learn from their mistakes.

From Kieran Flanagan and Dan Gregory: An assertive parent looks for how to help their kids learn, not just keep them bump-free and happy all the time. They see challenges from their kids’ point of view and look for the potential upsides, not just the downsides. They are about nurturing resilience, not just nurturing.

___

Originally published at Mum Daily. Photo by Catalina Carvajal Herrera.