Safety-Net Parent |
“It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings.”
-Ann Landers |
Safety Net Parents are the ones who respect their children’s autonomy while also enforcing discipline and control. They are involved in their children’s lives, responsive and encouraging, while also allowing them to make mistakes that they can learn from.
Safety Net Parents notice their children’s improvements, even if they haven’t yet reached their goals and praise the effort knowing that it motivates their children to carry on. They do not do for their children what they are capable (or nearly capable) of doing on their own. They don’t force. They guide. They don’t make excuses for their children. They help them find a solution.
Safety Net Parents borrow the best from the other parenting techniques and combine them into the ultimate parent mash-up since Carol said, “I do” to Mike Brady.
Helicopter Parents step in to help their children. Safety Net Parents borrow this technique from the “hoverers”, but only step in after their children experience some discomfort in order for them to avoid a stumble the next time around.
Like Snow Plow Parents, Safety Net Parents want their children to have a clear path to success, but instead of clearing the path for them Safety Net Parents show their children the best way to do it for themselves (there’s satisfaction in action).
Free Range Parents, like Safety Net Parents, offer their children opportunities where they have the freedom to fail, but unlike Free Range Parents, Safety Net Parents will let them fall only so much, but will be there to avoid a crash.
And, like Tiger Parents, Safety Net Parents have high expectations for their children. Tiger Parents push for excellence, whereas Safety Net Parents know when a push is a necessary reminder to get their children back on track.
image courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/Yuri
Safety Net Parents notice their children’s improvements, even if they haven’t yet reached their goals and praise the effort knowing that it motivates their children to carry on. They do not do for their children what they are capable (or nearly capable) of doing on their own. They don’t force. They guide. They don’t make excuses for their children. They help them find a solution.
Safety Net Parents borrow the best from the other parenting techniques and combine them into the ultimate parent mash-up since Carol said, “I do” to Mike Brady.
Helicopter Parents step in to help their children. Safety Net Parents borrow this technique from the “hoverers”, but only step in after their children experience some discomfort in order for them to avoid a stumble the next time around.
Like Snow Plow Parents, Safety Net Parents want their children to have a clear path to success, but instead of clearing the path for them Safety Net Parents show their children the best way to do it for themselves (there’s satisfaction in action).
Free Range Parents, like Safety Net Parents, offer their children opportunities where they have the freedom to fail, but unlike Free Range Parents, Safety Net Parents will let them fall only so much, but will be there to avoid a crash.
And, like Tiger Parents, Safety Net Parents have high expectations for their children. Tiger Parents push for excellence, whereas Safety Net Parents know when a push is a necessary reminder to get their children back on track.
image courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/Yuri
