Tire-swing Parenting

I approach parenting in a laissez faire way; I like my kids to make their own mistakes and learn from them. This is always a juggling act– trying to let them fall while also keeping them safe.

While pushing our kids on a tire-swing, a friend and I were discussing parenting styles. She was hands-on, hovering around her child to make sure her daughter didn’t fall.

“I want my kids to learn through actions, ” I said.

Confident in my parenting abilities, I began to explain how it could be beneficial for her to take  a step back and let her kid learn how to hold on to the chain by herself, you know, to instill confidence. As I continued to argue to the benefits of my own style, I stopped paying attention to my daughter. I was awoken from my lecture by the sound of my then 1 1/2 year-old hitting the ground with a defined thump.

I feel like this is a constant occurrence as  a parent; you feel confident in your decisions, only to be reminded (usually quite dramatically) that you are not perfect. Your choices are not perfect, and if you ever begin to think you have a handle on things, you are reminded that you do not.

While I’m not a fan of helicopter parenting, I’m also not a fan of my child hitting the ground while I stand by telling someone else how to parent. Lesson learned, gravity. Next time I will try to pay more attention to my kid, and less attention to lecturing someone else on how to raise theirs.