Less Helicopter, More Hang Glider

At the very least, you can't call me a hovering parent.

While Maguire was out of town the other night,  I decided to take the boys up to my parents' house so they could roam free for a little while and we could visit with my brother, Gabe.  My brother is younger than I am and very much still a kid at heart, so it was like hanging out with three little crazed Indians.  Lots of running around in circles, hooting and hollering, trying to capture each other and wrestle to the ground.

I have to admit, it was a mini-vacation for me, handing over the reigns to my brother for a couple of hours.  I just tuned out and played on the computer, watched Joey Fatone on NBC's The Singing Bee (how much fun is that show?  totally mindless, but thoroughly entertaining), and snuck a few slices of Maguire's birthday cake here and there.  Aaah, this is the life.

There is a slight chance that I tuned out a bit too much, though.  In response to the occasional thump!, smack!!, and crash!!! followed by a startled and/or angry cry from one of the younger Indians rolling around on the floor, I found myself repeatedly looking up and saying in a sort of dazed way, "Huh?  What just happened?  looking to Gabe for a clue:  Did you see what happened?"

After maybe the seventh time of saying, "Wha-?  What?  Is somebody hurt?" the absurdity of the situation struck me and I had to laugh.  I turned to Gabe and said, "You must be wondering at this point how my children aren't in perpetual traumatic-injury comas."  To which he replied, "And this Seattle reporter called you a parenting blogger, huh?"

Well, he certainly didn't call me a responsible parenting blogger.

When it comes to parenting styles, I would say I fall fairly far outside of the realm of the Helicopter parent, and more in the realm of the Hang Glider parent (yes, I made up that term, but still).  I don't so much hover as I do sort of glance around the situation, get the general gist of things, but then continue on whatever path the air current has me going at the time.  If need be, I'll swing back around and take a closer look, but if I stop, chances are I won't be able to get started again, so I'm better off letting things work themselves out on their own if I can help it.

Besides, my little Indians are much more likely to notice a noisy Helicopter hovering overhead versus the parenting stealth of my silent Hang Glider.  This will pay off later when these little stinkers think they are pulling a fast one on me and then bam! I'm right there on top of them.

And since when did a handful of bumps, bruises, and scrapes do any real harm?  It builds character!  And at this rate, my kids will be scarred, er,  chock full of character.
 

Comments

[Jennie]

Hang glider! I love that idea! And, especially the stealth-ness of it!

Pretty cool about your quote too!

[moosh in indy.]

Stealth inDEED.
Your husband totally left me a comment, whatta hunk, way to convert him to the dark side.

[andi]

Ooh, I'm stealing that term. I'm all about the character building.

[Jennifer]

This is just brilliant! Sounds so much better than being a Helicopter parent (which I've been accused of!), I think I'll borrow your new term.

[Megan]

Steal away, ladies. Just point Matt Lauer in my direction when he comes calling.

[Annie]

Unless I could get a hang glider with grab arm type attachments, I'm afraid it's a helicopter in our house - all in the interests of keeping my baby out of the ER at the hands of his sister :( The jealousy thing is still rampant here - argh!

[MammaLoves]

I LOVE that term. So accurate.

I am also a member of the Hang Gliding team.

[Brillig]

Ooooh, I'm joining the Hang Gliding team. That suits me quite well. Great post!

[Kimberly]

I love the term Hanglider Parent. Perfection!

While I was reading blogs this afternoon, my oldest daughter knocked down a queen size mattress that was leaning against the wall.

Onto her little sister's head.

Yup. Might need to pay a weeeee bit more attention.

[Shauna]

I'm all about building character, too!

[moodswingingmommy]

Uh huh...As one would probably guess, I am also a Hang Glider parent. That's how the baby ended up wearing an entire yogurt on her head this morning. Such is life in my house. Helicopter parents, cringe away!

[moodswingingmommy]

Uh huh...As one would probably guess, I am also a Hang Glider parent. That's how the baby ended up wearing an entire yogurt on her head this morning. Such is life in my house. Helicopter parents, cringe away!

[Cara]

Love the post. I so hope that I will be a hang glider parent and not a helicopter parent.

[Cakehead]

Hahaha, love it. I'm a hang glider too. I always thought there was something wrong with me because I don't hover like so many (*ahem* like Little Man's dad). Totally builds character. Totally.

[AbsolutelyBananas]

oh yeah I'm totally with you on that one. I'll go down in history as the mom who shouted "WHAT just happened?!" more than anyone else.

[Megan]

This is why I love ya'll. I just don't think I'd get along too well with Helicopter parents. I know for a fact that I don't. Maybe my Hang Gliding makes them nervous.

[jackie]

Hang glider parenting! Love it! I am so more a hang glider than a helicopter.

[Allena]

there you go! TRADEMARK IT! :)

[JCK]

Hang Glider Parent. I love it! I'm with you all the way.

[Smiling Mom]

I think we would be instant friends! I've found it very difficult to be friends with some other moms in my area because they hover and I sit back. They panic when a kid (Read: one year old) takes a toy from another one, I hang back to see if they can work it out themselves.

Hang gliding parent. That's so me!!

[Juliette]

I like the making up of new terms!!!
another website that coined a different term for parenting styles is http://www.onteenstoday.com/2008/06/19/10-qualities-of-teacup-parenting-is-your-kid-too-fragile/