A traditional Easter egg hunt in Colorado Springs was canceled due to large numbers of aggressive parents who insisted on participating in the event even though it was for children only. Last year when organizers sounded the signal to start the Easter egg hunt, parents poured over the boundary ropes and scooped up all the eggs, leaving many kids without any eggs. The overly-pushy parents turned off other parents who said they would not take their children to the event this year. The wave of aggressive parents at last year’s event led organizers to cancel the event entirely this year. Parenting experts cite a growing wave of over-protective parents they call “helicopter parents” — parents who hover over their children constantly, denying them space to learn from their own experiences. Parenting experts say this trend of overly-aggressive parenting started back in the 1980s, around the same time people started putting “Baby on Board” signs in their car windows. People who want to encourage their kids to think for themselves can go to ThoughtOnBoard.com for an erasable car sign that encourages creativity, independence and free thought.
Source: Washington Post/AP, March 26, 2012