Valentines and helicopter parents collide

Helicopter parents are those who “hover” over their children and try to manage their children’s lives in ways that aren’t needed. One of the worst examples of helicopter parents “hovering” was Valentines Day a few years ago.
Most middle school, junior high school, and high school boys don’t have enough money to buy girls bouquets and balloons on Valentines Day. This bothered helicopter parents that their daughters were being left out of the Valentines Day tradition. So what did they do? Helicopter mothers ordered flowers or balloons for their daughters (to make it appear their daughters had boyfriends) and then had them delivered to them in school. It enhances the Valentines gift if other people see the recipient receive the gift. It got out of hand, though. In the beginning, girls got small bouquets and a single balloon, which they tied to their wrists in school. The helium-filled balloon floated above the girls all day, sitting in the classroom and walking down the halls. Eventually, helicopter mothers started trying to outdo each other with bigger and more elaborate bouquets and bunches of balloons. The girls who didn’t get anything felt awful. Finally, the schools cracked down. The florists delivered the bouquets and balloons to the school office, where the girls picked them up after school. Once the girls had no way to show off their gifts, the fad pretty much ended. It was something the girls never needed in the first place.