'Snow plow' parenting: Helping kids?
Move over, Tiger Moms -- a new parenting trend prevents children from failing.
First there were Tiger Moms. You may recall the extreme style of parenting made (in)famous by Amy Chua's best-selling book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.
Then hovering 'helicopter parents came on the scene -- the overly-involved, control freak style of child rearing.
Now, an all-out mommy war is brewing as a brand new moniker of parenting style comes under attack, "snow plow" parenting.
More from MSN Living: How dogs make our lives better
According to an article on ABC7 San Francisco’s website, "the 'snow plow' parent pushes life’s obstacles out of his or her children's way."
Instead of parenting from a place of healthy involvement, these parents try to eliminate potential roadblocks and pave a straight line to their kid's success.
More from MSN Living: 15 amazing, inspiring baby nurseries
In the ABC7 story, one mom talks about how she used her "snow plow" powers when her son was going out for a basketball team.
"I brought lemon cupcakes to a baseball practice once and realized the coach doesn’t like lemon. So I went home and baked vanilla cupcakes and brought them to his house that evening for his family to share," she was quoted.
In San Mateo, Calif., Aragon High School athletic director Steve Sells tells ABC7 it's apparent in sports, "A lot more money is spent on club activity outside of school," he was quoted. "And a lot more in the way of private lessons."
Kids are pushed to succeed in one sport, and as a result, Sells sees over-use injuries at a young age.
"They're teaching their children a terrible lesson," Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, Ph.D., told ABC7. "If you're not good at something immediately, get out. It's humiliating to be a novice."
In the grand scheme of growing up, what happens if your kid doesn’t get to experience the thrill of winning and suffer a few hard knocks along the way?
Do you think "snow plow" parenting helps or hurts children?
Bing: Tips for raising children with tough love
More from Family Room:
Teen mom denied right to breast feed
Toddler death raises concern over car seat rules
Violent video games and child aggression
Love content like this? Friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and find us on Pinterest.
Readers: Calling all mom bloggers – we’re looking for fresh voices on MSN Living. Email us your samples and contact info!
Photo: Snow plow parenting / Digital Vision/Getty Images
family: tips, trends & advice for all things family
-
20 hottest dog breeds
From designer crosses to giant breeds, we scoured Vetstreet's data of millions of dog breeds to determine the trendiest breeds of the past decade.
-
The 10 Most Important Things Fathers Can Teach Their Kids
One of the most unsettling consequences of bringing a child into your previously simple, happily oblivious manly life is that you’re now unquestionably, inescapably…The Man.
-
Holy moly! The moment I realized I was a mom
Whether it was baby’s first kick or the first time your boobs leaked in public, there’s a point in every mom’s life when the world as you know it ends and you realize -- Whoa, I'm someone's mom now. Some of our favorite mommy bloggers revealed what their aha moments were. They range from heartwarming to completely hilarious.
-
17 easy Mother’s Day crafts for families
From DIY jewelry to homemade “flowers” to sweet vases, you can help your kid make mom’s day with these crafty gifts.
-
What no one told me about motherhood
The first parenting shock: They let you take the baby home. Like, without supervision. Only then do the real surprises unfold. Here's what readers told us was most unexpected for them as they embraced this whole mama thing.
-
21 adorable Etsy finds for little ones
Be prepared to say, 'awww,' multiple times while flipping through this collection super-sweet stuff for babies and kids on Etsy.com. Take a peek at some of our favorite finds for moms (and click 'More' to find out how to get this amazing gnome hat!)...By MSN Living editors
-
The top 24 most stylish celebrity moms (just in time for Mother’s Day)
Your Mother’s Day plans are all set, right? Brunch is booked and a fabulous gift is wrapped and ready to go. So take a breather and celebrate these stylish celebrity moms who work hard, care for their kids, and manage to look amazing in the process.
-
Top baby names of 2013
Find out this year’s top baby names on Parenting.com, and see what we predict will be big in 2013
-
Most popular baby names of 2012
Sophia and Jacob reign supreme.
-
Having it all: What that means to these moms
In an online contest, Parenting.com asked readers to tell us what it means to "have it all." Read the winner's moving essay on how that phrase has defined her motherhood, plus essays from the three runners up.
-
Puppy survives alone in car for a month
Tow lot employee finds abandoned pup.
-
10 reasons pets make better partners than people
Animals, says Dr. Patty Khuly, are the best listeners in the world and don’t care that you’ve just been dumped or laid off.
