Works For Me Wednesday: Parenting Edition "Be a Human, Not a Helicopter"

Or, quit hovering!

Shannon asked us all to give parenting advice this time around, for this month's themed WFMW posts. Alrighty, I'll play!

(Pssttt... see the end of the post for a new giveaway!)

The biggest thing I wish someone had told me my first time around as Mom was to relax and not hover when my son was trying something new, or challenging. Things like climbing on stuff at the park, riding a bike, etc. All of that stuff made me nervous - he was my BABY!, he could get HURT! - and I really think that nervousness communicated itself to him. I was much more relaxed the second time, and that shows, too. My daughter is the adventurous one, tackling all sorts of climbing maneuvers designed to give me a heart attack.

I may be wrong - their personalities may have been set in stone in regards to adventurousness the day they were born. But I don't think so. I really think I held my son back by worrying too much and being too nervous when he tried things, and he decided that that sort of stuff wasn't for him. I regret that, now, but I did the best I could at the time.

I'm not saying that you should just turn your child loose on the world and not ever pay attention to what they're doing. But you should be encouraging and helpful, and do your best not to be overtly nervous. Children are quite sensitive and pick up on these things. If you just can't help being too nervous, then enlist the help of someone who isn't that way, whether it's Dad, an aunt/uncle or just a friend. Let your kids figure out on their own what they feel comfortable doing, not what you feel comfortable with them doing.

Like I said, today's WFMW is a themed edition with Parenting Advice as the theme. Go visit Rocks In My Dryer for what's sure to be a whole book's worth of advice!

Also, don't forget to visit this post and follow the instructions for a new giveaway this week at IWBH! I've decided to extend the deadline to 4:00 on Saturday.