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There is a semi interesting 'debate' over on 8a.nu about Eric Hörst's parenting.
Good for a quick read, which ever side you fall on.

http://www.8a.nu/forum/ViewForumThread.aspx?ObjectId=28094&ObjectClass=CLS_UserNewsComment&CountryCode=GLOBAL

[Muenchener]

That does on the face of it sound like a pretty shocking lapse of judgement, but I certainly wouldn't leap to any conclusions about the parenting skills of a complete stranger based on hearsay about one incident.

[krymson]

I dont think parenting skills can really accurately be judged on a personal level online. but it is an interesting discussion point for climbers and climbers who are having kids -- how do you encourage your kids to climb constructively and breed positive competitive attitudes without pushing them too hard?

it does feel like in broadcasting the news the way it was, it suggested that glory is worth taking significant risks for ...

On the other hand, we don't know what really went down and if youre a climbing parent who takes this kind of opportunity(kid wants to try a dangerous route) to help them understand and weigh risk management vs short term desire properly, it could be a valuable lesson keeping the kid from learning it the hard way years down the road.

Whereas for instance with the recent helicopter parenting style of sheltering kids, they may not ever learn how to balance and manage danger or risk when pleasure or glory is involved and when they really encounter it more seriously in teenage years or college bad shit happens.

[Muenchener]

I agree, the line between over-protectiveness and recklessness can feel very thin at times.

My ten year old son only climbs sporadically but he is a keen swimmer - trains with a swimming club twice a week, wants to get into water polo when he's a bit older. He's already a much stronger swimmer than I am. A few weeks ago I let him do his first solo open water swim across a small mountain lake in the Tirol. It was only a few hundred metres and I was pretty sure it was well within his ability, but also pretty sure there would be sod all I could usefully do about it if it wasn't. Spent a very nervous few minutes watching him cruise it.

[Oldmanmatt]

I recently had this conversation with my own parents.
As a 12 year old and through my teens and twenties I made their lives both hell and heaven.
Be it climbing or paddling out to the Cribbar in a storm.

Causing explosions...

Frequenting A&E...

Broken spine, arms, ankles, fingers...

Lost some bits to Frostbite...

But I've had one hell of a life, done so much and their fear was always tinged with pride.

Now my own kids show similar tendencies.

We already spend a disproportionate amount of time in A&E...

Good on 'em!

[SA Chris]

If you love someone set them free, just hope they don't smash themselves to bits in the process.

I count myself lucky to have survived childhood with all of my faculties intact, more through luck than anything else. I do sometimes wonder how many of my lives I've cashed in already.

[Lund]

This thread is trolling, surely?  (Otherwise it would have been "risk taking and kids" or some shit).  Can we logpile it please?

[Oldmanmatt]

Well... Ok

Call it that Lund.

I'm genuinely interested in what people think on the subject (as you described it rather than as the thread was titled).

How much is too much?

Either way.

It is a damn hard call to make!

I'm not suggesting that we need others to answer the question, but seeing these things from different perspectives can help to settle on a particular direction. Especially real experiences.