Read more: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/step-back-and-let-the-kids-learn-the-lessons-of-life/story-e6frg8y6-1226519144506
There of course has now been a new style of parenting recognised too, called lawn-mower parents, these parents who completely dominate & control their child's life.
In a Herald Sun article last year Prof Alan Hayes, the Director Australian Institute of Family Studies said, "lawnmower parents had taken up where so-called "helicopter" parents left off. Instead of hovering over their children closely monitoring them as helicopter parents are said to, lawnmower parents get out in front of their children to try and clear the way for them, they try to remove obstacles that children might need to negotiate."
But constant monitoring, over-scheduling and protecting children from their own problems can come at a cost.
I was reading today's article and reflecting on some of the questions parents were raising during the Social Networking sessions I ran last week. I feel that many parents are under so much pressure to "do it all" that they lose confidence in their natural parenting skills and believe they need guidance every step of the way. When it came time in both sessions for questions from the floor, parents wanted to know the rules around internet access at home, can the school provide filtering, how much is too much etc. In both sessions I had to reiterate that every child is different & every family is different. We all have our battles over these same issues but how we respond will depend on the child and the circumstances. We need to continually remind ourselves that children are growing up in very different times, they don't know a world without the internet, they don't know privacy, nor do they want it or value it. This is a huge cultural shift for even our youngest parents to grapple with.
My message to parents is to trust your instinct as to what is right for your child and your family as a whole. Have the confidence to make your own rules and not only to enforce them but to follow through with a punishment if they are broken.
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