Helicopter parents: Our focus in the September issue
Hands up: Are you a mum who follows your child's every move in the playground, drenched in sweat? Or are you one of those fathers who regularly drive their child to school and intervene immediately at the slightest problem? No, I hear you say. Helicopter parents - not us. Helicopter parents - parents who circle over their children's heads like a helicopter, taking everything off their hands, spoiling and mothering them - it's always the others. Yet experts estimate that one in five parents in Switzerland is raising their children to be independent. Well, you ask, what's wrong with parents trying to be perfect, looking after and protecting their child? This is exactly where our dossier comes in: Helicopter parents are usually highly committed mums and dads who do everything they can to make sure their child is doing well. And are prepared to work on themselves and respond to criticism.
I would particularly like to introduce Helikopter-Eltern-Selbsttest%20ans%20Herz%20legen,%20ausserdem%20die%20Kolumnen%20von%20Jesper%20Juul%20und%20Michèle Binswanger. The mother of two recommends that overprotective parents educate their children according to the gardener's principle: Prepare the soil, water it, let it grow. And later, have a jumping mat ready in case a child falls off.
«Things are going very well with Cola,» Miriam Bettschen writes to me. «We're working hard to make them a good team.» The two of them are her eight-year-old son Joel and Cola, a 15-month-old border collie mix. Read in the new issue and here how the autistic boy and the trained assistance dog found each other at the end of July thanks to donations from Fritz+Fränzi readers and how Joel's life has changed alongside his new companion: Joel's autism assistance dog is called Cola.
«No titmouse, no seagull,
can roar like a lion.
But the king of the desert
knows little about flying.
One can do this, the other that, basically
everyone can do something.»Paul Maar, German children's book author («Das Sams»)
«The first step to learning is to love the teacher,» wrote the theologian Erasmus of Rotterdam 500 years ago when asked what characterises a good teacher. In this issue, we deal with this topic in two articles. In the monthly interview with my colleague Evelin Hartmann, Danish psychologist and family therapist Helle Jensen says that teachers must always be aware that they are responsible for the relationship with their pupils. «A good teacher senses how a child is feeling and what they need.» Teacher and theatre teacher Barbara Stengl writes in her essay that a good teacher is well aware of the enormous demands placed on them by parents, school management and pupils - but does not break under them. «By looking after her resources, nurturing them, taking herself seriously and learning to switch off and recharge her batteries.»
For me personally, a good teacher is someone who explains, accompanies, stimulates and guides. Someone who encourages, comforts, takes an interest in their pupils' inclinations and problems, expects and demands something, withstands resistance, communicates openly and does their job with joy and great passion.
practises their profession with joy and great passion.
What makes a good teacher for you? Please write to me. I look forward to receiving your mail.
Yours sincerely - Nik Niethammer
Read more:
Are you interested in the topics of our September 2018 magazine (09/18)? Then order the issue here.