5 Busybodies Who Want to Parent Your Kids
1. The Pediatrician
The other day I was talking to the mother of a newborn baby girl. She shared with me the pressure new mothers feel to breastfeed their babies. Right after the birth of her daughter, the nurse asked how she planned to feed the baby. When she said she planned to breastfeed, the nurse said, “Oh good! She’ll be able to go to college, then!”
Medical decisions often present challenges, in particular to new parents. Those who choose not to circumcise, vaccinate, test for heartworm (or whatever else they do to newborns these days) arouse suspicions within the medical community.
We ran into issues when our kids entered the “tween” years. If you haven’t been through this yet, prepare yourself. Around the age of 12, the doctor wants you out of the exam room so she can talk to your child about his sex life (and offer appropriate contraceptives). When I took one son for a 12-year old well check, we saw a pediatrician who was new to the practice. She entered the exam room, took his medical history, and then told me to leave so she could examine him and talk to him privately. My son shot me a panicked look that said, “Don’t leave me alone with this woman!” He then told her, “I want my mom to stay.” She persisted (rather forcefully) and explained that she wanted to talk to him in private about some things. I insisted and she reluctantly let me stay, although she made it clear she disapproved. She began to ask him things like, “Have you lost your virginity yet?” and “Are you attracted to boys, girls, or both?” I stopped her and explained that we had that subject covered and there was no need for her to go on. It was not a relevant medical issue for my 12-year-old son. I’m glad I stuck around so that we could debrief after that office visit (and also so I knew we needed to find a new doctor).
It’s important to understand that whether your kids are two or twelve, you’re the parent and you know what’s best for them. Just because most parents comply with the vaccination schedule, the medication recommended for wiggly boys, or being ordered from the exam room doesn’t mean that you have to. Yes, you’ll be viewed as the overprotective, paranoid, helicopter parent. But you’re in this for your kids, and your private family medical decisions are nobody else’s business.
I’m not advocating eschewing medical doctors, medication, or modern technology. I’m only saying that as with many things in life, it’s important to do your homework and understand that what’s right for most children may not be right for your child. Medical decisions are very personal and it’s important to find a pediatrician or family doctor who shares your values (or at least is not hostile to your views) on medical (or social) decisions that are outside the mainstream. Ultimately (child abuse cases excepted, obviously), you have the right to make medical decisions on behalf of your children.
I agree with the fact that these people can be pushy and overstep their roles, but there is a lot of room between a well informed parent and child abuse where asometimes you need a kick in the butt from friends, family, or professionals. No one knows everything, but some of those people might know more than you, so listen up.
How many times have you heard "You just don't UNDERSTAND"? I get sick of it from other parents I know. I don't offer the advice, but I know plenty of people that make really bad decisions (like giving in to whiny kids) because it's just easier. You can watch it happen and then watch their confusion when their kid grows up to be a brat.
I'm a conservative. I don't ascribe to the non-judgmental lifestyle. I don't condemn someone after observing them for a few minutes (like the grocery store example), but "parents know best" just isn't going to convince me of anything.
Likewise if you impose your children on them you should not be surprised when they impose themselves on you.
Later on, while in the Service, we had a company party where dependents were invited to attend. One of the wives was a new mother. I was watching as some of us were playing cards and the young mother was feeding her baby a bottle. When the baby had eaten all it wanted, the mother sat the kid on her lap, grabbed it by the throat and started patting it on the back. After getting no results, the mother asked if I would mind holding the kid while she played cards. I said sure, and as soon as I got ahold of the kid, I put him up on my shoulder and began patting him on the back. I managed to get a great big belch and barf out of him. The mother looked at us like she had never seen such a thing. she got back at me when the kid needed changing and she handed me one of those new-fangled plastic diapers with the sticky tape fasteners though.
Her interaction with your son should be strictly medical. It seems a kind of prurient sense of entitlement & superiority that would lead a physician to ask such questions of a boy.
Seriously watch out for "ex-spurts" stepping over their boundaries into areas they have no business going. You may wind up with advice/"counseling" from people screwed up beyond your wildest imagination.
(Speaking of overstepping boundaries, under "Obamacare", physicians are encouraged to ask questions of patients about gun ownership in the home.)
Want to see first hand, the breadth and depth of bad parenting in America today, spend about five too ten years as a classroom teacher in the elementary and middle school grades. The sadest part, is that this bad and zero parenting crosses all socio-economic lines! Something else you would see all to much, is grandparents having custodial rights and and or grandparents doing most of the parenting to whatever degree possible.
Most children today have very little if any 'quality' family and parenting time with their parental families. Most families leave such repsonsibilities up to educators and whomever else is willing to provide it.
There have always been bad parents. When I grew up, the kids could tell which of their friends were beaten and abused, but the adults never stepped in to stop it because it wasn't 'their business'. Frankly, I prefer the aspects of today's parenting climate that protects kids. Sure, some of it can be intrusive to parents who aren't savvy, but ask a kid who's been beaten how he feels about the doctor who put a stop to it and you may get an earful.
I agree with the fact that these people can be pushy and overstep their roles, but there is a lot of room between a well informed parent and child abuse where asometimes you need a kick in the butt from friends, family, or professionals. No one knows everything, but some of those people might know more than you, so listen up.
How many times have you heard "You just don't UNDERSTAND"? I get sick of it from other parents I know. I don't offer the advice, but I know plenty of people that make really bad decisions (like giving in to whiny kids) because it's just easier. You can watch it happen and then watch their confusion when their kid grows up to be a brat.
I'm a conservative. I don't ascribe to the non-judgmental lifestyle. I don't condemn someone after observing them for a few minutes (like the grocery store example), but "parents know best" just isn't going to convince me of anything.
One of the major cases that the right to attend private school and homeschool is based upon is Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925). SCOTUS said that children are not "mere creatures of the state." That's the other choice if we as a society don't accept the premise that "parents know best."
[FWIW, and OT, I disagree with the court's acceptance of the Due Process Clause as the basis for this freedom. I agree with Justice Anthony Kennedy who has said it could have been decided as a 1st Amendment case.]
Likewise if you impose your children on them you should not be surprised when they impose themselves on you.