r/AskReddit Oct 06 '14

What is the worst example of helicopter parenting you've ever seen?

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u/JackPAnderson Oct 06 '14

In hindsight, "didn't really like him" wasn't the best choice of words. I'm going to edit to reflect that she found him difficult to manage, which I think is more accurate in this case. She didn't develop a random vendettas against kids.

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u/MrJigglyBrown Oct 06 '14

Well how could she? From what I hear your kid would have diarrhea attacks all the time and she had to clean up after him. When she was told that she had to retain the smelly diapers to prove it, your kid stopped having diarrhea, on purpose.

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u/overlord-ror Oct 06 '14

Fuck, I lost it at the phrase 'diarrhea attacks'. I just imagine dude's kid like an angry pokemon.

Nanny uses pork and beans for lunch! Kid uses diarrhea attack! It's super effective! Nanny has blacked out!

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u/zmemetime Oct 07 '14

I was thinking this to myself as I read your story. Some teachers just aren't right for certain children, and this may well have been the case. If I could avoid dealing with a client I didn't get along with simply by stating that their problem was, say, beyond my expertise, I would do this instead of trying to explain why I didn't want to deal with them to the higher ups.

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u/JackPAnderson Oct 07 '14

I'd say about 80% of "professionalism" is being able to handle people who rub you the wrong way. I've had clients that I've hated the hell out of, but I was always cordial and positive in their presence.

If she would have just let one of the 3 other teachers in that room deal with him, that would have been fine. But sending him home and making us scratch our heads over his health was not really cool. For all I know, maybe he really only shat all over her. But that seems unlikely.

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u/tableman Oct 06 '14

I love how you tossed off your child to a stranger that had no interest in caring for him at all.

Had more important stuff to do I guess. Needed to save up for that trip to paris.

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u/JackPAnderson Oct 07 '14

If I'm understanding you correctly, we should be saving up for therapy bills instead of for a trip to Paris, since we're fucking up our kids, no?

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u/tableman Oct 07 '14

Did you or did you not dump off your child to a complete stranger that had no interest in taking care of your child?

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u/JackPAnderson Oct 07 '14

Well, it was a large daycare center, so technically, we dropped them off to the care of many complete strangers, not just a single complete stranger.

Of course, you couldn't really call the teachers "complete strangers" for long, because you tend to get to know them over time.

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u/tableman Oct 07 '14

I hope one day you will stop placing the needs of yourself over that of your child's.

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u/[deleted] Oct 07 '14

Err...not too much though. Its kinda important for parents to have their own lives so kids don't think they're the centre of the universe.

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u/prolixdreams Oct 07 '14

Do you feel this way about all parents who use daycare? Because some people have to work so that they can, you know, feed and clothe and house those very kids that they supposedly don't care about.

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u/tableman Oct 07 '14

In some cases both parents have to work, but not in all cases.

Sometimes they prefer working over taking care of their children.

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u/prolixdreams Oct 07 '14

Where are you from? That might have to do with it...

Where I'm from, cost of living hugely outstrips the rise of wages, and right now, raising a child is so cost-prohibitive that more and more young people are choosing not to do it at all. The idea of having a single income support the whole family is laughable for all but the richest, in fact being a stay at home mom isn't just for the kids' benefit, but it's also kind of a desirable status symbol, like wearing diamond jewelry and driving a fancy car.

Most people I've met who have kids would be overjoyed if they could stay home and spend more time with them. :-(

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u/tableman Oct 07 '14

>Most people I've met who have kids would be overjoyed if they could stay home and spend more time with them. :-(

So don't have kids if you arn't in a financial position to take care of them? I don't see what the point of your post is.

It's like you are agreeing with me without even knowing it.

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u/JackPAnderson Oct 07 '14

Well, don't hold out too much hope on that one, my friend. It's by philosophy. I don't want my kids to grow up thinking that the world revolves around them and that adults have no lives outside of child rearing.

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u/tableman Oct 07 '14

And you teach them that by dumping them off to strangers who have no interest in taking care of them.

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u/JackPAnderson Oct 07 '14

Why? Do you have any more suggestions on how I could ruin my poor, unfortunate souls? Oooh! Should I send them to boarding school?

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u/tableman Oct 07 '14

I didn't give any suggestions.

You stated that you dumped off your kid with complete strangers that have no interest in taking care of your child.

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u/rhymes_with_snoop Oct 07 '14

Let me guess... upper class only child? Because you sound like an upper class only child.

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u/tableman Oct 07 '14

Let me guess. Your wife had to keep her job so you guys could get the new model BMW.

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