[Kevlar281]

The fraternity side of helicopter moms...

The year I did Journey of Hope there was a kid on the South Team whose parents decided to tag along for about a week and a half. Basically they followed the route and would make arrangements to stay in whatever town we happened to be lodging in. Now keep in mind it is completely normal for parents to visit during the trip for one or two days. But this usually happens about a month into the trip when the team member is traveling through their home state. I barely saw the Dad I’m not sure what he was doing to fill his days but the Mom made her presence known. She would fix her son’s plate at lunch, fill his water bottle etc. She even bought the team extra food because she didn’t think we were eating enough. (That was actually nice)

So some time went by and the heli-parents went home. He was finally on his own. We were in Nevada for two days staying in a High School gymnasium when he finally decided to say more then two words to me.

Heli-Kid: Hey are you going on a laundry run?
Me: Yeah were all meeting by the payphones out front in twenty minutes.
Heli-Kid: Oh Ok.

So twenty minutes comes and goes; everyone meets by the payphones, Heli-Kid is a no show. We have to clown car the van so I don’t even think twice about leaving him behind. About an hour later as I’m waiting for my clothes to dry my cell phone rings…

Me: Hello
Heli-Kid: Hey it’s me Heli-Kid
Me: Oh hey man what’s up?
Heli-Kid: Have yall left for the laundry mat yet?
Me: Yeah were just finishing up now.
Heli-Kid: Why didn’t you wake me up so I could go?
Me: I’m not your mom.
--click--

/edit: So I’m not sure if my story actually fits in this thread but I always think about that kid when the issue of helicopter parents comes up. I guess I’ve never had to deal with a helicopter parent directly; just the products of their parenting.