[Miss Anthropist]

OK, 'relaxed' parents: Based on the following, am I a helicopter parent?:

• I DO intervene if my 15mo daughter snatches a toy from another child or inquisitively pokes a child in the eye.
• I follow behind her up our steep wooden staircase. I don't let her go up alone.
• I stay close to her when she's playing in the garden because of (a) venemous snakes, (b) electric fence, © bull ants and jack jumpers (d) unfenced stairs to the veranda that she loves to climb.
• I try to prevent her from eating wallaby poo and cat food or playing in pools of blood when my DH is doing butchering.
• I remove the cherry stones before giving her cherries.
• I supervise her pretty closely on playground equipment because I feel that she and I are both still learning her limits. She would launch down a steep slide headfirst if I let her (or should I be letting her?...).

Does this make me a helicopter parent?

[Riotproof]

No, I don't think so. What do you think?

[Peppery]

Not at all. Sounds very common sense to me

Agree

[niggles]

No. I think it's quite hard to helicopter a baby of that age. They get into everything and have little sense of personal safety.

Maybe if you were following her around inside a baby proofed house but I don't think anybody lets their baby play around in a pool of blood while sharp knives are weilded above their head surely?

[Guest_3Keiki_*]

I am pretty free range with my kids (expect on manners and the like) but I don't think any of those things would mean you are a helicopter parent...

[Miss Anthropist]

No, I don't think so. What do you think?

I had never thought about it before until I read the thread about "How closely do you watch your children", and reading about how Mrs X lets her nine month old daughter drive the tractor unsupervised and Miss B's 12 month old son goes into the kitchen and bakes a cake by himself etc made me question myself. Writing it all down, however, and re-reading it, I don't think I sound helicopterish.

[flushthetoilet]

There are things on that list I wouldn't do. But I don't think that list is exhaustive.

[RobotFerretOfDoo...]

Sounds pretty normal to me, and I believe playing in a pool of blood with overhead knives is character-building (thanks for that suggestion niggles!)

[Romeo Void]

*Maybe*, but you're not overboard. I remember being like that. I think being conscious of my potential to helicopter made me evaluate and pull back when I started getting out of control, so you being aware and then pulling back as your DD gets more confident is a good way to handle it. I remember DH and I used to count any bruises or scrapes she got as proof that we weren't helicoptering too much LOL.

[Canberra chick]

At 15 months that sounds fine. I know someone who still pips her child's cherries at four, had to be told by childcare to stop cutting his sandwiches into teeny weeny squares and will not let him go on any excursions that involve going on a bus and insists on taking the day off work to drive him to the excursions instead... That is helicopter parenting...