My son was a freshman in high school when he started dating a girl who went to a different school. He asked me if he could go to her house one day after school, and I told him it was fine, but that when I dropped him off, I needed to meet at least one of her parents.
He told me how dumb that was, and I let him know I needed to touch base with a parent because, for starters, I wasn’t going to drop him off without a parent there, and two, I needed to make sure her parents were fine with me dropping off my 14-year-old son at their house. It’s common courtesy — teenagers don’t need to be spending time alone after school all the time, and I wouldn’t appreciate it if some random kid showed up at my house unexpectedly as their mom sped out of my driveway.
When I called the girl’s mother, then met her in person, she thanked me and said, “You are one of the few parents who has ever checked in to make sure I’ll be home when your child is here.” Of course, that sent my son over the edge and was the most embarrassing moment of his life.
Frequently my kids tell me I’m too overprotective and they live a very sheltered life
I smother them with hugs and kisses and tell them how much I love them several times a day
They are my top priority – nothing comes before them, and there have been times they haven't told me something because they didn’t want me to worry too much or think the worst, something I know I do.
I know I can be a lot. I realize I check in on them more than a lot of their friends’ parents check on them. I have tried to find a good balance ever since I became a mother because I don’t want to suffocate them or have them resent me, but if I'm being honest, I'm an overprotective mom who will drop anything to be there for my kids.
Being a mom was all I ever wanted to do, and I'm so lucky to have three beautiful, amazing kids
That will never be lost on me, and they will always be the most important part of my life.
This may drive them crazy now, but I know there will be times when they're thankful I am the way I am and they'll find comfort in the fact I'm overjoyed to see them, or thatI pick up the phone on the first ring, or that they have that extra water bottle and snack I put in their backpack even though they told me they didn’t need it.
Maybe they’ll never tell me, but that’s OK. All I need is to be able to do what feels normal and natural to me. If that means I’m a helicopter mom or too much for some — including my own kids — I’m fine with that.
