Flash back to physics class a few decades ago. Newton’s third law of motion states, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” The same can be said of parenting philosophies. “The Case Against Over-Parenting: Why Mom and Dad Need to Cut the Strings” is the cover story of the Time magazine issue hitting newsstands today. The piece examines the transition we’re seeing from full-speed-ahead helicopter parenting to “slow parenting,” aka “simplicity” or “free-range” parenting. Hey, we already have a slow food movement and even a beverage called Drank that’s supposed to “slow your roll.” It’s about time we eased up on what Time editor-at-large Nancy Gibbs calls “the almost comical overprotectiveness and overinvestment of moms and dads.”
Gibbs writes, “We were so obsessed with our kids’ success that parenting turned into a form of product development … college deans described freshmen as ‘crispies,’ who arrived at college already burned out, and ‘teacups,’ who seemed ready to break at the tiniest stress.” Now, as with fashion and fine food, “less is more.” And we have the Great Recession to thank, at least in part, for solidifying this new, relaxed parenting mindset. A CBS News poll found that since the onset of the recession, “a third of parents have cut their kids’ extracurricular activities.” Both parents and kids seem to be benefiting from this sort of forced schedule reliever and streamlined lifestyle. A Time poll last spring revealed that nearly four times as many people said their relationships with their kids have gotten better as said they’d deteriorated.
The article also gives a nod to the importance of play “as an essential protein in a child’s emotional diet.” The freedom for kids to explore on their own sans constant structure and enrichment activities is what helps them learn essential life skills such as flexibility, resilience and leadership.
Many of us could use a stint in the sandbox.
