The Balloon Boy

Everyone else is talking about the Balloon Boy in Colorado Springs, I guess it's my turn.

In my recently released book, Parenting Without Guilt: Avoiding the Seven Things Parents Do To Screw-Up Their Kids, I identify living our dreams vicariously through out kids as one mistake parents make. That is not the case here, however. From my perspective this is a case of a parent living their personal dreams at the expense of their kids.

The dad in this case, Richard Heene, is like a character from a Disney movie. He views himself as a innovator and explorer. He enjoys edgy adventures, like storm chasing. There is nothing wrong with that. We need those kind of people so that the envelope is constantly being pushed in terms of technology. The problem here is that his kids have become the victims in his quest for adventure.

Unfortunarely this happens more often than we think. The problem is it takes a major public folly to move it to the forefront. When a parents personal passion impacts the life of their kids, that's a problem. It might be a career decision, accepting a position in another state because it advances out career even though it disrupts the family. Or perhaps it's a passion for a sport like golf; The time spent on the course takes away from quality family time. I am not saying there is something wrong with playing golf or changing jobs. What needs to be considered is; How does my decision impact those I love?

I bet Richard Heene wishes he had considered how his decision would impact his family before he launched his dream balloon.