There's a lot rolling around in my head right now about helicopter parenting and the ideas of letting kids explore their own boundaries, but the frustration of dealing with the former and the importance of the latter were brought home today when I was listening to parents yell out to their kids, while Mia was running around the park after preschool camp.
"Don't go in the sand!"
"That's too high; get down from there."
"Come back to this side of the playground so I can see you."
"Don't get your clothes all messy."
"Put your shoes back on!"
"Stop running; you'll trip and break something."
Some things parents and caretakers remind kids of are serious: don't throw mulch at people; there's lightning so we need to leave. But clothes getting messy? That's what playgrounds are for.
Mia, meanwhile, is running around barefoot, dress dirty, hanging upside-down from the monkey bars. At least her underwear matches her dress?
I may not be the best. In fact, I know I'm not. But I hope I err on the side of too much freedom instead of too little.
i love this post. it always bugs me when parents/caregivers are trying to keep kids from BEING KIDS.. i'm like.. yeah, they're children, they're going to get dirty!
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