Monday Teeny Poll
We hear all the time that today’s kids are sheltered. People question how they will ever learn to function on their own if we only allow them to go on pre-scheduled playdates and classes?
What say you? Is it a bunch of media hype, or do you think it’s true?
This was a little tricky, Glinda, because I don’t parents are being too overprotective, but I do think many children are over-scheduled, which is a different question.
I think parents are too overprotective and overschedule their children. Actually, while I think they have to be more careful about letting children roam free (like I used to when I was a kid), I think they are overprotective in the wrong ways, like doing their projects for them so their kids won’t (GASP!) get a B, or otherwise not letting them be anything less that the best at something, or not letting them suffer hurt feelings or scraped knees or a little fever. And yet, by the time the kids turn into teenagers parents let them run wild. Maybe they’re just worn out.
Oh, dgm is interpreting “overprotective” differently from the way I did. I was thinking more strictly in terms of “not letting kids roam free through the countryside provided they are home by dinner,” not in terms of “protecting children from all manner of hurt, injury and suffering, including normal childhood events like falling off a bike and getting a B when not having done the homework (helicopter parenting).” If interpreted that way, I agree with dgm.