Liza Rivas

Topic of the day!  Let’s think about it, am I too overprotective?  Is there such a thing as being too overprotective considering all the dangers that our children confront daily?  Well, as a parent I would hesitate to agree, but as a specialist I may certainly conclude that there is.

Let’s take a moment to analyze how we handle ourselves with our children.  Are you the parent that carries there backpacks, notebooks, and all other responsibilities that they may perfectly do themselves?  Are you a parent that goes to the school and follows the parent or the child that called your child a name, or made him or her cry at a birthday party to call their attention?

I have been there; I have seen my child’s sad face because a peer did not want to play or said something offensive.  But how does it help our child that we solve the problem?  I had a parent once say, “I prefer she lives through that when she is older.”  Well, this is an ok thought, but what helps our children grow, mature, what helps them understand others, and be in others shoes?

Our children learn through conflicts with peers, brothers and sisters.  If we avoid those situations constantly, if we get too involved or solve those conflicts for them we are not letting them learn basic skills for later conflicts. 

You may wonder, this seems simple, but as I wrote yesterday, take a moment to transport yourself to a younger stage of your life.  Think about it, what did you do to share the television at home with other siblings, how did you solve using the bathroom, the phone, the ball at school, the difference of opinion with projects in groups.  And now transport yourself to your present life.  How do you solve working in teams for a presentation at your office, how do you solve parking space situations in your building or work place, your office area, the loud music in a neighbors house.  We use what we know, what we have learned and what has worked in earlier years.  It is a social ability and it is learned step by step.  So those days that you had to confront a bully or a brother that is making your life impossible at ten will help you confront in a healthy way situations with your family members, coworkers and neighbors. 

So, as a parent just take a moment to think about it…  Am I too overprotective?