NEITHER HELICOPTER NOR SNOWPLOW PARENT

photo reprinted from https://rethinkingchildhood.com/2019/03/11/risk-fear-freedom-plea-to-parents/

An early goal, although certainly after millions of other neural-developmental goals have already been reached, is to stand up on our human feet* and move ourselves forward.

* Children with bodily hindrances to “standing on two feet” in a typical way still show impetus to move forward - so all are included in this topic.

We participate in cheering our little ones on through their early attempts to stand and walk, and how we do that matters - but I’m saving the feedback response topic for another blog post.

Today I would like to bring up that I believe it a terrible shame if that exciting benchmark moment of self-reliance, when a child intrinsically senses “I can do this!” is outweighed by an excessive degree of subsequent limits set by our irrational fears.

Many child development specialists have spoken of the disadvantages caused by bubble-wrapping, hovering, and interfering in a child learning to gauge for real where a risk turns from adventure to imminent danger. The recent article linked in the photo caption is a good read on this.

I wonder if it’s “never too late” to ease up on our fear as adults, to model for children the posture of inquiry and sense of awe at discovery in our wide world.

Respectfully,

Laila