The Rant wonders if Magic Johnson asked Santa for a helicopter parent in his stocking. We doubt it. Five rings and in the debate for NBA G.O.A.T. could not quell the fury of daddy LaVar Ball. Coming out of the stands like a dad at a third grade YMCA game and demanding more looks for his kid, Ball actually forced a meeting with Johnson and other Lakers brass to discuss the team and his son Lonzo. Hilarious. Can you imagine Larry Bird’s father calling Red Auerbach to complain Dennis Johnson needed to find Larry more in the paint? Red would have put out his cigar on Mr. Bird’s forehead.
Our favorite helicopters moved to a larger city because their precious soccer child just couldn’t get the coaching and competition he so, so deserved. Their budding Jozy Altidore couldn’t even make a team in the big city, and they returned older but no wiser.
Our parents couldn’t intervene in our affairs because they had no idea what our affairs consisted of. They also had only a vague notion of our actual location most of the time since we roamed sans GPS tracking device.
We all want the parent we didn’t have. Neglected kids want engaged and present moms and dads, and smothered kids want to come home to an empty house so they can live out a real-life John Hughes movie.
Did your mom sit next to my mom in Guilt 101 our friend used to joke. The Rant suspects our parenting style reveals more about who we are than what we want our children to become. Maybe that will help Magic and Luke Walton the next time LaVar comes charging their way.
