Snowplow Parenting

[Son of Butch]

Snowplow parents aka lawn mowing or bulldozer parenting in some places, is defined as
parents who remove obstacles to smooth the path in life for their children.

NY Times article: How Parents Are Robbing Their Children Of Adulthood.
75% of parents with children 18-28 yrs old still schedule doctor and dentist appointments for them.
In addition 75% call/text to remind them of barber/beautician appointments.
16% with children in college call/text to make sure they get up in time for class on test days.
8% have called a school counselor to inquire/discuss getting a grade changed.
11% said they would contact the employer if they heard their 18-28 yr old had an issue at work.

Some child development 'experts' blame the current record rate of anxiety experienced by young
adults on their lack of problem solving skills due to parents not allowing them to encounter failure.
One recommended book is "You're Not Special And Other Words Of Encouragement".

Hypocrites
Actress Felicity Huffman had a parenting blog (taken down last week)
In her blog she extolled the virtues of treating children like adults and described raising children
as one long journey of teaching them to overcome obstacles. She also praised schoolchildren for
"walking into a building everyday, full the unknown, the challenging, the potential of failure".

Last week Felicity Huffman age 56 was accused of paying $15,000 to a SAT proctor to retake the
test for her daughter which greatly increased her daughter's previous SAT score.
Details of the scores were not released. So not sure how dumb or which of her two daughters
is $15,000 dumber than the other.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

I was raised by lawnmower parents. They loaned me a lawnmower when I was 7 until I saved enough cash to buy my own. It's fair to say that I turned out $15,000 dumber than my siblings, but I don't think it had anything to do with the lawnmower.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Sure a long ways from being drafted at 17 years old and heading over seas to fight for your country.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Remember dad said you have two options when you graduate HS.
You can pack or I will pack for you.

 

[Bigfoot]

I was shown the road at 18. It was always emphasized to be your own man, and make your own way. Reminded, that I could not return for help, that I must hit the ground running. About a year ago I had buy my parents place, and give them a lifetime estate. They weren't making it on social security. All I will say is it cut to the bone in both directions.

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

Remember dad said you have two options when you graduate HS.
You can pack or I will pack for you.

Yep. My highschool graduation present was luggage.

 

[greybeard]

Remember dad said you have two options when you graduate HS.
You can pack or I will pack for you.

Yep. My highschool graduation present was luggage.

Parents started me early and got me used to the idea....

 

[Dave]

At 10 I was told that I had to start buying my own cloths. To this day I hate picking strawberries, and raspberries, and blueberries. I got a little older and cleaned chicken houses with a scoop shovel and a wheel barrow, but it paid $1.25 an hour. Dad said as long as I was in college I could stay at home in the summer. But only if I saved every cent I made to pay for the next year in college. They darn sure never paid for any of my college.

 

[cowrancher75]

I have a sister who is 40 and my parents pay for her phone, insurance, car, money. She doesn't work but has 3 kids all from different men.



One time I asked them to BORROW money for an investment that I'd have repaid in a few months.. nope. Never gave me a dime for anything. Ol' dad was beating me with a pillow ( I was sleeping) when I was 18 and told me to get the f out. I told him.. I didn't even graduate HS yet.. damn. Then told me that my HS car would be the nicest thing I'll ever have.

thanks for the encouragement!!! :lol2:

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Sure a long ways from being drafted at 17 years old and heading over seas to fight for your country.

Must have been tough on you, tell us more.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Sure a long ways from being drafted at 17 years old and heading over seas to fight for your country.

Must have been tough on you, tell us more.

I see no where, where I said it was anything me. My dad who didn't turn 18 till July shipped out to Camp Lejeune in March. Then it was off to Germany and then Japan. My grandma that could barley speak any English received his high school diploma during his graduation.
No one in our household was fed with a silver spoon, or dodged the draft.

 

[Dave]

My Dad never did finish high school. He joined the navy at the end of his junior year. He had been held back a year early in grade school so he was a year older than his classmates. He figured he would be drafted before finishing so he might as well join. Got sent off to be a tail gunner in a dive bomber.

 

[callmefence]

If paying for education or buying equipment for ones kids to get a good start is snowplowing......I guess I'm a snowplow.

Edit....I think I prefer bulldozer..

 

[Son of Butch]

Ya need a Snowplow to move Snow Flakes.

 

[pricefarm]

My parents payed for my college education but I started working a public job the day I turned 16 and work on neighbors farms before that. I didn't move out till I got married when I was 20 but was working full time and going to college at night.

 

[Coosh71]

My parents always worked their tails off and so did I as a kid. As my kids got a lil older they had chores etc. No allowance etc. They always complained that NONE of their friends had chores at all. I told them it was cost of living. It's not that our kids should cook our dinner but damn what's gonna happen when they get out on their own and can't do laundry, check their oil or burn toast? We have really messed things up as a whole for this generation right now. No doubt in my mind that social media, cell phone, I this I that and instant gratification are to blame. And we shoveled it to them by the truck load. My son welds (22) and my daughter (20) is in college. I gave my son his one and only pick up when he left home at 18 and gave my daughter her car when leaving for college. She pays her way in every way. Waitresses, sorority, apartment and car maintenance. And that's the best parenting I've ever done. It's ok for our kids to be a little scared and figure life things out.

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

I have a sister who is 40 and my parents pay for her phone, insurance, car, money. She doesn't work but has 3 kids all from different men.



One time I asked them to BORROW money for an investment that I'd have repaid in a few months.. nope. Never gave me a dime for anything. Ol' dad was beating me with a pillow ( I was sleeping) when I was 18 and told me to get the f out. I told him.. I didn't even graduate HS yet.. be nice. Then told me that my HS car would be the nicest thing I'll ever have.

thanks for the encouragement!!! :lol2:

I wonder how politicians and Social Justice Warriors plan to eliminate discrimination when it's 'alive and well' within families. I was given a set of luggage for my high school graduation but my brother was given his choice of a new car--any car he wanted.

 

[greybeard]

It's ok for our kids to be a little scared and figure life things out.

Yep............ agree. life is SUPPOSED to be scary.

 

[Jogeephus]

I have a sister who is 40 and my parents pay for her phone, insurance, car, money. She doesn't work but has 3 kids all from different men.



One time I asked them to BORROW money for an investment that I'd have repaid in a few months.. nope. Never gave me a dime for anything. Ol' dad was beating me with a pillow ( I was sleeping) when I was 18 and told me to get the f out. I told him.. I didn't even graduate HS yet.. be nice. Then told me that my HS car would be the nicest thing I'll ever have.

thanks for the encouragement!!! :lol2:

I wonder how politicians and Social Justice Warriors plan to eliminate discrimination when it's 'alive and well' within families. I was given a set of luggage for my high school graduation but my brother was given his choice of a new car--any car he wanted.

I think your dad and mine must have read the same book on parenting. :lol:

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

Actually, it was my Mom. She didn't want daughters. When my brother was born it was the 'second coming of Christ'. She would move mountains to make sure brother had everything he wanted.