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Velcro is a hook-and-loop fastener that sticks things together. It also has become a popular term for describing a certain kind of over-protective parent. The other term used to describe such parents is helicopter parent. The term drone is also used. I was curious about the phenomenon as I don't recall that Nancy or I were that over-protective with our children. My research indicates that hovering came into vogue with the advent of smartphones. Texting and apps make keeping in touch with your children very easy. It is very easy to be too involved. That is not good for your child, and her school will not appreciate your velcro tendencies. There has to be a balance between hands-on involvement and a hands-off approach. So, let's approach the issue from that perspective. We will look at how this applies to each grade level as your children progress through their schools.

Pre-school

I was one of those lucky fathers who drove his daughters to their pre-schools. In those days, back in the 70s, I was on the staff of a large Episcopal church on Long Island. Our house was about 2 miles from my eldest daughter's preschool. The preschool was located in the Sunday School classroom wing of the church. The school had just been established because of the strong demand for pre-schools in that South Shore community.

Literally, the two of us would get out of the car and enter the front door of the church

Dissatisfied with your local public schools? When parents are faced with underperforming public schools in their area, what alternatives do they have? In most cases, just three options are available: they can keep their children at home and homeschool them. They can also consider sending their children to private schools. Or they could relocate to an area with good schools. Let's leave out the last option, which is a real stretch for most families. Selling a home and finding a new one is not a project for the faint-hearted.

Fact: The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that during the 2019-2020 academic year, approximately 3.3% of school-aged children were homeschooled, which amounted to around 1.7 million students.

Fact: According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), during the 2017-2018 academic year, around 5.8 million students (about 10% of all elementary and secondary students) attended private schools.

The mothers in this video explain why they are thinking about homeschooling their children.

The other underlying condition which we have to appreciate is that we are talking about average middle-class families. Typically these hard-working folks bring in less than $100,000 a year. In many cases, much less than that. I feel that this is a very important factor to deal with upfront. Why? Because, in most cases, parents in this income bracket feel that they cannot afford private school. So they don't even bother exploring private

How to Avoid Summer Brain Drain

The summer “Brain Drain”, also known as the “Summer Slide,” is a term commonly used by educators and parents alike to describe the learning loss that takes place for many students during summer months.

Brain Drain occurs when the extended break from structured learning and scheduled academic work makes the mind lazy and makes it easier to forget material that has already been learned. It is a major concern for American legislators, educators, and parents alike. We’ve paneled some of the top experts in education to get the best advice for parents to help kids avoid summer Brain Drain. From CEO’s to Technologists to PhD’s and more, we’ve got the expert advice to help kids of all ages stay sharp all year long.

1. “We’re always learnings, but what are we learning?”

First thing’s first: take time to get to know your child’s interests. Dr. Alice Wilder, Chief Content Officer at , is a huge proponent of tapping into children’s interests to maximize their learning potential. Dr. Alice is a leader in children’s media and research, with senior production roles on landmark franchises and programs like Blue’s Clues, Super Why!, Speakaboos, and Amazon Kids (to name just a few of her many projects and accomplishments).

Dr. Alice says parents should allow their child to be bored at times to uncover their interests. “See what they come

The other day I heard about a father bemoaning the fact that his nineteen-year-old son was a mess. The gist of this father's complaint was that he had done so much for his child but nothing seemed to be appreciated. I totally understand the complexities and pitfalls of raising children in the 21st century. It is a scary, very different world from the one I was raised in back in the 50s and 60s, for sure. It is a much different world from where we raised our four children. And, yes, there were times - not many - when I was guilty of being a velcro or helicopter parent. I couldn't bear to see my children fail or make the mistakes I made. Unfortunately, that strategy never produced the results I was expecting.

With all this in mind, let's examine what happens when parents over-indulge and over-protect their children.

What do the terms "velcro" and "helicopter" parents mean?

The term "velcro parent" describes the kind of parent who sticks close to his child to protect him. The "helicopter parent" is constantly hovering around her child to protect him. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines a helicopter parent as "a parent who is overly involved in the life of his or her child". While there is no "velcro parent" entry, one can only assume that it will not be long before there is.

Velcro and helicopter parents have their children's best interests at heart. At least, that's how I remember rationalizing my

If you have children in private school, then you are most likely looking at three months, perhaps even longer, which you must fill with activities of one kind or another during the long summer break. Your children are accustomed to structure during the other nine months of the year. It is a good idea to plan their vacation months. The structure will be there, just much more flexible and adaptable to the needs of the day. Let's look at some of your options for making summer a special time for both you and your children.

Young Children (ages 4-10)

Most schools offer summer sessions. Depending on its resources a school may offer all-day sessions or just a long morning session running from approximately 9 until 1. If the school has had a summer session for several years, it probably has worked out most of the kinks. But keep an eye out for the quality of each activity. Is the school merely providing glorified babysitting or are the activities well-planned, well-organized, and well-supervised by qualified personnel?

This video offers a glimpse at a summer camp and its programs.

The advantage of sending a young child to a summer session at her school is that she knows just about everybody anyway. Even more important for your wee one is that the daily routine is similar to what she is already comfortable with. My biggest concern with