“Helicopter parents” are so named because of their tendency to hover over their children’s lives. A Kentucky listener who made an initial college visit with her son reports two variations that she learned from staffers: “Lawnmower parents,” who mow down every obstacle in their way, and “Black Hawk parents” — helicopter parents so aggressive they’ll show up at the office of top college administrators ready to do verbal battle. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Lawnmower Parents”
A friend of mine has a son going off to college this year, and she went to the orientation session for parents, and she said her favorite line from the whole session was when they were told by one of the staffers there, we have helicopter parents who hover, we have lawnmower parents, the ones who mow you down.
And then there are black hawk parents. They hover too, but they’re armed. And it’s a thing. I look those things up. Well, I knew helicopter parenting. That’s been… Well, yeah, that one’s been around. But I love the variations on that.
Lawnmower parents are the ones that, you know, the administrators dread because they just come and intercede. It’s always battle. Everything’s battle. Yeah. But the worst are the black hawk helicopter parents.
What’s that? Do they come in on secret missions and…
They just, they show up at the president’s office no matter what the deal is.
Right, yeah.
Love those variations on new words.
Call us with the ones you’ve heard, 877-929-9673, or send them an email.
The address is words@waywordradio.org.
