I guess it's yucky parent week at the NYT. Now we have a bit on parents who pressure their kids to be thin and alluring and play sports and suck up to the mean, popular kids. Nice, huh? Oh, and when parents fail to take on this role, there's always a helpful aunt or uncle or other relative to step in and fill the void. Like this: "'All I ever think about is whether my niece is popular, thin and happy
enough,' said Peggy Siegal, the movie screening doyenne and New York
social engine. 'Her mother tells me I have very bad values.'" Hmm, ya think? I love how popular, thin, and happy all go hand-in-hand.
One theory behind why these parents are pushing their kids to be school stars is that the folks are living vicariously through the children. Why do I think that can't be good for the kids? "'It’s better for kids to see they can fail and survive than it is
for them to always succeed,' said Laurie Zelinger, a school
psychologist on Long Island, who sees too many parents putting children
in inappropriately sexy clothing and inappropriately competitive
situations. 'Kids don’t need to be perfect. They just need to be
resilient.'" See, maybe I'm a nut, but I thought parents and relatives were supposed to ineffectually tell kids in the lower tiers of school social status how great they are, and how those mean popular kids are just jealous, and the kids are supposed to roll their eyes. But apparently dressing kids slutty or making 'em go out for football is another option. A very creepy one.
