I remember at my son's 4th birthday party, we played Pass the Parcel - when he didn’t win the prize, he ran and dramatically threw himself on the ground wailing and flailing. He wasn't the only disappointed child, I panicked and wondered if I should have wrapped enough presents for every child to win something before another mother commented that it was a good life lesson for the children to learn.
Of course, as parents we want our children to be happy, but often that desire brings us into a territory where we try to avoid any kind of disappointment or sadness for our children. This can be a key motivation of ‘helicopter parents’. There are times when it is a difficult balance to strike, wanting to be involved with your children, without smothering them.
Of course, as parents we want our children to be happy, but often that desire brings us into a territory where we try to avoid any kind of disappointment or sadness for our children. This can be a key motivation of ‘helicopter parents’. There are times when it is a difficult balance to strike, wanting to be involved with your children, without smothering them.
