Snowplow Parent
A parent that removes obstacles for their kid
Example
I'm trying not to be a snowplow parent, but it's difficult when I want my child to succeed
Agreed. But it's important to re-evaluate what our definition of success is, as well
Related Slang
Permissive parenting | High responsiveness and low rule enforcement parenting style |
Soft parenting | Friendly parenting |
Helicopter mom | An overly involved mom |
AP | Attachment parenting |
Boomerang child | An adult who moves out of his parents' home but moves back in |
Mommy shaming | Bullying a mom for her parenting choices |
Daddy praising | Praising a dad for performing simple parenting duties |
Granola | Environmental and health-focused lifestyle |
iPad kid | A child who is always on a tablet |
SAHM | Stay-at-home mom |
SAHD | Stay-at-home dad |
A snowplow parent removes obstacles for their child to minimize their growing pains, much like how a snowplow clears snow from roads to help cars drive on the road. While it comes from good intentions, many people use the term to criticize the approach since it can be harmful to the child's development as it doesn't allow them to persevere through failure or discomfort.
For example, a SAHM may be so present in a child's upbringing that she cooks all of his meals and cleans up after him instead of making him do chores so he can learn those valuable skills. Or, a dad may coerce his daughter's basketball coach to start her instead of forcing her to earn her way into the starting lineup.
You will likely encounter the term in parenting forums online discussing the approach. Typically, people use it in a derogatory manner to put down parents who have embraced the style.