Helicopter Parents and other names

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Helicopter Parents and other names
4
Mon, 10-04-2004 - 7:09pm
I just heard the phrase today "Helicopter Parents". They are parents who tend to hover around their kids. This was spoken by a few moms who were waiting outside the preschool door for the SECOND the kids were let out.

I just thought that was an interesting phrase. Never heard it before but it fit these mothers (and some others I can think of) perfectly. Not a value judgement, but just an observation.

So, have you heard of any phrases to describe the different types of parents?

Ejkdmom Come visit my store: www.leorra.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2003
Mon, 10-04-2004 - 9:44pm
oh yes, many many of them. i've even made up a few myself!!

there are the "P" parents, which can stand for several things like perfect/positive/ politically correct/etc etc but of which pain=in-the... is my personal favorite.

then there are the militant parents. it doesn't so much matter what they're militant about, it can be breastfeeding, sah or wohm, single parenting or nucular families, blah blah blah, what distinguishes these parents is the way they act like you have cooties if you don't share their exact parenting philosophy.

then there are the "alzheimers parents." you know them, they're the ones who say things like "oh my ds NEVER did..." or "i don't remember EVER having that problem with MY dd..." your mil is probably one of these parents.

the competitive parents can often be confused with the alzheimers parents, but you can usually distinguish them by the incredible way in which their child ALWAYS did whatever your child did, only younger, better, or faster.

my personal favorite, which i freely admit i am, is the "laize fare parent." we're the annoying ones who smile indulgently as their barely walking toddler scales impossible heights and attempts death defying feats. we're the ones who say inane things like "well he hasn't killed himself yet, he'll be fiiiine" while you hold your breath in anticipation of the inevitable neck-breaking fall. we're the ones who occasionally turn around at the park or grocery store and ask complete strangers "hey, have you seen my kid? he's about 3 feet tall, blond hair, wearing...well crap, what IS he wearing? oh yeah, a diaper and galloshes? you seen him?" roflol......

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 10-04-2004 - 9:45pm

The only ones I've heard are soccer mom and stage mom.


I had never heard Helicopter Parent either.


Debbie

Debbie LaCroix, SAHM to Alex

------------------------------------


~ ~ Follow your passion!:&n

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-27-1998
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 1:51pm
What IS a soccer mom? I have no idea. I know it came about as a demographic description in the 90s, but I still have no clue.

On a side note, competitive parenting has just blown me away. I swear the parents spend more time at school than the kids do!

It is so different from 30 years ago when I was a kid.

Dolli

baby growth



New and improved siggy coming soon (which could mean after Christmas)

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2004
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 2:13pm
I dont have any, but I thought all of the ones posted are really cute.
I am a soccer mom and love that name for me. :)


Lilypie Baby Days



Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting