You know You are a Lawn Mower Parent If

My friend, who is a football coach at a large Texas public school, described what he and many other coaches are experiencing. Coaches call them Lawn Mower parents.  You know you are a Lawn Mower parent if you say things like this:

• My son is not starting on the football team. I am going to schedule a meeting with the coach to see why he is doing this to my son.
• My son dropped 5 passes during the football game. I am disappointed in the coaching staff for allowing my son's self confidence to tank.  I am emailing the coach (this actually happened).
• My daughter failed her math test. I need to talk with the teacher and find out why she gave my daughter a failing grade.

The Lawn Mower parent faults the coach for not starting their child, blames the coach for their child's lack of self-confidence, and accuses the teacher of failing their child. Lawn Mower parents refuse to believe that their child walks during football practice landing them a spot on the bench and failed the math test because they did not study hard enough.

The Lawn Mower parent mows down the grass of resistance, responsibility, and reality on behalf of their child, albeit prince/princess. They attempt to pave a pathway to the throne of success unencumbered by obstacles or hills for their child to climb.  

The Lawn Mower parent believes their child had a legitimate reason for walking during football practice.  "My child was walking off the field, because he wanted his teammates to get to the water first."

The Lawn Mower parent believes their child had a noble reason for failing the math test.  "My child was too busy feeding the hungry and giving to the poor, so she didn't have time to study."

The Lawn Mower parent is an excuse expert, and sadly they are training their children to do the same.

In the past Lawn Mower parents were thought to be CEO's who gave their lazy son/daughter a multi-million dollar business. Today, it is not just the CEO's who are giving their children things they don't earn. It's most parents. It might even be you.