We have all heard the term “Helicopter Parent” or “Helicopter Mom,” am I right?

I have always been confident in how I parent our daughter. I have never been one to fuss over a scraped knee or a fall on her bottom. Now that is not to say that we are unresponsive when she does get hurt or scared – we are the first ones to jump in and provide comfort in her times of need. Since becoming a mom, I have had that famous “mom instinct” and have trusted in my gut from day one with my Little One.

One instance stands out in my mind when I think about the topic of Helicopter Parenting. I was one of the lucky mom’s that was able to bring my daughter to work with me everyday. {I work for my father out of his home office.} I work with one other lady who, at the time, was not a parent. I let my daughter {just over a year old at the time} play and roam the house while I worked. The house was completely child proofed, so I was not overly concerned about her getting seriously hurt.

One day, while we were working, Little One was playing down the hall and managed to get into the bathroom. It was quiet for a few minutes, and we all know what that means with toddlers, am I right? Then, Little One started to yell – not scream or cry – just yell. Being the kind of mother that I am, non-hovering and non-overreacting, walked down the hallway to see what was going on. However, at the exact same time I got up from my desk (at the sound of my daughter’s yell) so did the other secretary I work with. The difference? She ran.

I knew that Little One was not hurt. She was yelling because she got into the bathtub and could not get herself back out. Call it my mom instinct, but I just knew that she was okay. The other secretary was so blown away at my calm reaction to this whole situation. She did not understand why I didn’t run at full speed down the hallway to see why Little One was yelling. She did not understand why I giggled a little bit when I saw that Little One was stuck in the tub. {I mean, it was pretty funny that she got herself in, but couldn’t get back out}

That was the day that I truly understood the meaning of a “helicopter mom.” From that day on, I made the active decision to not be a “helicopter mom” and let my Little One play independently. I am always watching her, but not always telling her how to play. If she falls down, she learns that climbing has a consequence if you are not careful. 

It is so satisfying to watch her figure something out all by herself. She is so proud when she completes a task all by herself – declaring herself a big girl. We allow her to be independent and use her brain to figure things out instead of us telling her how to solve the problem, or not to climb too high for fear of falling. We are building her self-esteem, her problem solving skills and so much more. When something does happen, we are there to comfort her and reassure her that we are always there for her when she needs us.

So God Made a Mother book by Leslie Means

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Order Now

Check out our new Keepsake Companion Journal that pairs with our So God Made a Mother book!

Order Now
So God Made a Mother's Story Keepsake Journal

Sarah Morell

I am a mommy to a very stubborn and energetic 4-year old little girl and I am happily taken by her daddy. We are in the Northern California area and lead a very active life. I have a full time job as a paralegal, and I am continuing my education and to get my BS in Interior Design – which is what I really want to be doing. Whether it is writing, drawing or painting, I love to spend my time being creative! My other interests range from reading to constantly redecorating and rearranging the rooms in my home. Follow my active life through my blog at http://www.oneactivemama.com/

Each Child You Raise is Unique

In: Kids, Motherhood
Three little boys under a blanket, black-and-white photo

The hardest part about raising children? Well, there’s a lot, but to me, one major thing is that they are all completely different than one another. Nothing is the same. Like anything. Ever. Your first comes and you basically grow up with them, you learn through your mistakes as well as your triumphs. They go to all the parties with you, restaurants, sporting events, traveling—they just fit into your life. You learn the dos and don’ts, but your life doesn’t change as much as you thought. You start to think Wow! This was easy, let’s have another. RELATED: Isn’t Parenting...

Keep Reading

Our Kids Need Us as Much as We Need Them

In: Kids, Motherhood
Little boy sitting on bench with dog nearby, color photo

During a moment of sadness last week, my lively and joyful toddler voluntarily sat with me on the couch, holding hands and snuggling for a good hour. This brought comfort and happiness to the situation. At that moment, I realized sometimes our kids need us, sometimes we need them, and sometimes we need each other at the same time. Kids need us. From the moment they enter the world, infants express their needs through tiny (or loud) cries. Toddlers need lots of cuddling as their brains try to comprehend black, white, and all the colors of the expanding world around...

Keep Reading

Your Kids Don’t Need More Things, They Need More You

In: Faith, Kids, Motherhood
Mother and young girl smiling together at home

He reached for my hand and then looked up. His sweet smile and lingering gaze flooded my weary heart with much-needed peace. “Thank you for taking me to the library, Mommy! It’s like we’re on a date! I like it when it’s just the two of us.” We entered the library, hand in hand, and headed toward the LEGO table. As I began gathering books nearby, I was surprised to feel my son’s arms around me. He gave me a quick squeeze and a kiss with an “I love you, Mommy” before returning to his LEGO—three separate times. My typically...

Keep Reading

This Time In the Passenger Seat is Precious

In: Kids, Motherhood, Teen
Teen driver with parent in passenger seat

When you’re parenting preteens and teens, it sometimes feels like you are an unpaid Uber driver. It can be a thankless job. During busy seasons, I spend 80 percent of my evenings driving, parking, dropping off, picking up, sitting in traffic, running errands, waiting in drive-thru lines. I say things like buckle your seat belt, turn that music down a little bit, take your trash inside, stop yelling—we are in the car, keep your hands to yourself, don’t make me turn this car around, get your feet off the back of the seat, this car is not a trash can,...

Keep Reading

So God Made My Daughter a Wrestler

In: Kids, Motherhood
Young female wrestler wearing mouth guard and wrestling singlet

God made my girl a wrestler. Gosh, those are words I would never have thought I would say or be so insanely proud to share with you. But I am. I know with 100 percent certainty and overwhelming pride that God made my girl a wrestler. But it’s been a journey. Probably one that started in the spring of 2010 when I was pregnant with my first baby and having the 20-week anatomy ultrasound. I remember hearing the word “girl” and squealing. I was over the moon excited—all I could think about were hair bows and cute outfits. And so...

Keep Reading

A Big Family Can Mean Big Feelings

In: Faith, Kids, Motherhood
Family with many kids holding hands on beach

I’m a mother of six. Some are biological, and some are adopted. I homeschool most of them. I’m a “trauma momma” with my own mental health struggles. My husband and I together are raising children who have their own mental illnesses and special needs. Not all of them, but many of them. I battle thoughts of anxiety and OCD daily. I exercise, eat decently, take meds and supplements, yet I still have to go to battle. The new year has started slow and steady. Our younger kids who are going to public school are doing great in their classes and...

Keep Reading

You May Be a Big Brother, but You’ll Always Be My Baby

In: Kids, Motherhood
Mother with young son, color photo

It seems like yesterday we were bringing you home from the hospital. Back then, we were new parents, clueless but full of love—a love that words can hardly explain. I can vividly recall holding you in my arms, rocking you in the cutest nursery, and singing sweet lullabies, just like yesterday. I can picture those times when you were teeny-tiny, doing tummy time, and how proud I was of you for lifting your head. And oh, the happiness on your face when “Baby Shark” played over and over—that song always made you smile! We made sure to capture your growth...

Keep Reading

“It Looks and Tastes Like Candy.” Mom Shares Warning about THC Gummies All Parents Need to Hear

In: Kids, Living, Teen
Hand holding bottle of THC gummies

What Aimee Larsen first thought was a stomach bug turned out to be something much more terrifying for her young son. Her 9-year-old woke up one day last week seeming “lethargic, barely able to stand or speak,” his mom shared in a Facebook post. At first, she assumed he had a virus, but something about his behavior just didn’t seem right. She called an ambulance and asked her older sons if their brother might have gotten into something, like cough syrup or another over-the-counter medicine. Their answer? “Yeah, THC gummies.” THC gummies are an edible form of cannabis that contain...

Keep Reading

My Child with Special Needs Made His Own Way in His Own Time

In: Kids, Motherhood
Mother holding child's hand walking across street

I want to tell you the story of a little boy who came to live with me when he was three years old. Some of you may find this story familiar in your own life. Your little boy or girl may have grown inside you and shares your DNA or maybe they came into your life much older than three. This little boy, this special child, my precious gift has special needs. Just five short years ago, he was a bit mean and angry, he said few understandable words, and there was a lot about this world he didn’t understand. Unless...

Keep Reading

Dear Daughter as You Grow into Yourself

In: Kids, Motherhood, Tween
Girl in hat and dress-up clothes, color photo

My daughter, I watched you stand in front of the mirror, turning your body left and right. Your skirt was too big and your top on backward. Your bright blue eyeshadow reached your eyebrows and bold red blush went up to your ears. You didn’t care. I watched you marvel at your body, feeling completely at ease in your skin. You turned and admired yourself with pride. You don’t see imperfections. You don’t see things you are lacking. You see goodness. You see strength. RELATED: Daughter, When You Look in the Mirror, This is What I Hope You See I’m...

Keep Reading