Are YOU an overbearing parent? Of course not! No one thinks they are, and it is a pretty subjective term, but oh you know one when you see one … unless of course you're looking in the mirror.
The other day STFU Parents posted a link to a discussion that's blowing up on Reddit. It started with a post in which the person recounted an annoying encounter he or she had with a mother, and then asked if anyone else had any stories of overbearing parents in public.
And oh boy do people have stories of overbearing parents. There are currently more than 1,300 comments, and the discussion is going strong. The definition of an overbearing parent encompasses a lot, and it definitely overlaps into the helicopter parenting realm, but it's a bit different. I think it can be boiled down to this — you think the world revolves around you and your child, and pretty much everyone else sucks and can suck it.
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The entire discussion is a fun read, but I've narrowed it down into seven takeaways that will clue you in that you just might be an overbearing parent. See if you fit the bill.
1. You yell at other people for bumping into/almost bumping into your child when you're child is running where he or she shouldn't.
2. You give death stares to anyone who dares to talk to your children in public, even when you're kids initiate the conversation.
3. You assume all men are child molesters and make that perfectly clear when encountering them anywhere.
4. You tell your kids that if they're not good, "that man" or "that woman" is going to get mad at them/take them away/otherwise harm them.
5. If your child is pulling the hair of someone in front of you on the bus, you ask the person to move their hair.
6. When strangers help your child, you thank them by calling the cops. (Examples include: saving them from choking, stopping them from walking out into traffic.)
7. If someone dares brush against your child's hand, you whip out the hand sanitizer … and NOT discreetly.
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The thing is, it's so hard NOT to be overbearing, and we're probably all guilty of some of these to some degree. But at least knowing you're a bit crazy when it comes to this crazy gig of parenting is definitely a good first step.
Are you ever overbearing in public? Any stories to add?
Image via © iStock.com/101dalmatians
These stories are based on posts found on Reddit. Reddit is a user-generated social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website where registered members submit content to the site and can up- or down-vote the content. The accuracy and authenticity of each story cannot be confirmed by our staff.
