May 24, 2010 - PPM - Drone Parents
This week’s PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is DRONE PARENTS.
Everyone has heard the term, “Helicopter Parents.” Those are the parents who are overly involved in every facet of their child’s life. It usually is fully exposed during their child's educational pursuits, including college.
I’ve discovered a new parental methodology. I’ve coined it a “Drone Parent.”
Drone Parents try to micromanage their children in sort of a fly-by nature. I had previously blogged about “Over Scheduled Children” in 2007. Now, parents don’t even have the time to monitor their children’s games, practices, activities, because they are transporting child #2 or # 3 to another over scheduled sport.
Drone Parents drive up, drop-off, and drive off.
Youth coaches should not be unpaid babysitters. Stay and watch, or better yet, get out of the car, get off the phone, and offer to help!!!
After 20 years of coaching youth baseball, I had my first parental complaint this year. The parent said their child was upset after practice. It came from a parent that actually was NOT at the practice, yet decided to react to a disappointed 8 year-old’s recollection of his practice experience.
Bottom line, nothing transpired at the practice. Since Little Johnny is only 8, he probably just wanted some on-site parental support.
My fear is that volume of Drone Parents, in numbers and noise, will continue to grow. Some parents will become indifferent, and some will react inappropriately to a child’s concerns. Unfortunately, it will impact the volunteer base of coaches that decide NOT TO get involved.
We have all heard of “Nanny Cams” that allow parents to tune in to see how their kids are being handled. Can “Coach Cams” or “Game Cams” be next?
Everyone has heard the term, “Helicopter Parents.” Those are the parents who are overly involved in every facet of their child’s life. It usually is fully exposed during their child's educational pursuits, including college.
I’ve discovered a new parental methodology. I’ve coined it a “Drone Parent.”
Drone Parents try to micromanage their children in sort of a fly-by nature. I had previously blogged about “Over Scheduled Children” in 2007. Now, parents don’t even have the time to monitor their children’s games, practices, activities, because they are transporting child #2 or # 3 to another over scheduled sport.
Drone Parents drive up, drop-off, and drive off.
Youth coaches should not be unpaid babysitters. Stay and watch, or better yet, get out of the car, get off the phone, and offer to help!!!
After 20 years of coaching youth baseball, I had my first parental complaint this year. The parent said their child was upset after practice. It came from a parent that actually was NOT at the practice, yet decided to react to a disappointed 8 year-old’s recollection of his practice experience.
Bottom line, nothing transpired at the practice. Since Little Johnny is only 8, he probably just wanted some on-site parental support.
My fear is that volume of Drone Parents, in numbers and noise, will continue to grow. Some parents will become indifferent, and some will react inappropriately to a child’s concerns. Unfortunately, it will impact the volunteer base of coaches that decide NOT TO get involved.
We have all heard of “Nanny Cams” that allow parents to tune in to see how their kids are being handled. Can “Coach Cams” or “Game Cams” be next?
Labels: Pet Peeve
posted by J. Jay @ 9:28 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
My cousin Jay is available to teach kids how to turn a 6-4-3 double play! Interested?
Scott
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