The past few weeks have been all about getting used to early mornings again and of course the obligatory parent/teacher meetings (I think we called them “open house” when I was growing up). During the meeting for my daughter, who is in 4th grade now, I noticed something strange…

The teacher was going over the curriculum and the weekly schedule for assignments. She also gave an overview on each subject, as well as how she was going to evaluate them. Every time she mentioned a schedule, I saw parents’ heads go down to write. That’s when I noticed that the majority of them had notepads. What?! You’re taking notes at a parents orientation…for your 4th grader?!

Of course I had a moment when I thought – should I be taking notes, too and are they judging me because I’m not? But then I remembered – oh yeah, my daughter is the one responsible for her assignments and quizzes – just like I was when I was her age. I mean, if I do this now, when will it stop? When she’s 12? 15? 18? At what point am I supposed to let her take ownership of her work?

I’ve heard about helicopter parenting and how Generation X’ers (which I’m part of) are guilty of it. But that was in the US. I didn’t realize that I would witness this phenomenon in Venezuela. But then I realized, of course I would. Many Latin American parents expect their children to live with them until they get married. And if they don’t get married, they never leave. I know that this has changed a lot in metropolitan areas, but I know quite a few Caraquenos in their 20’s who live at home. They simply don’t see a reason to move out.

I know that there are many factors to this – economy, limited housing, parents in need of financial support, etc. and I also think that you can live with your parents and still exhibit a sense of independence. However, your parents would have to start instilling these values early on…like before the 4th grade.

So, while I can respect Venezuelans’ (as well as many Americans) penchant to be heavily involved in their children’s lives, I’m going to stick to the agreement I have with my daughter; I will trust her to do what’s right/necessary until she proves otherwise. How do you feel about helicopter parenting?

Don’t know if any of you heard, but a recent Gallup poll placed Venezuela as the 6th country among 124 where people rated their wellbeing. Although I’ve long ago recognized the carefree and low-stress lifestyles that Venezuelans try lead, there appears to be so much political strife that this poll actually shocked me.

In general, Venezuelans take one of two sides of the political spectrum. There are those who are very happy with the current administration and talk about how much better their lives have become since the changes. Others describe the good ol’ days and are devastated by the direction the country has taken. Both groups will not hesitate to tell you how bad crime has gotten; especially in Caracas. In fact, they paint such a bleak picture that you imagine walking into downtown Baghdad. Even with all these negative feelings, 64% of Venezuelans feel that their lives are thriving.

So, have I had the wrong opinion Venezuela this whole time?

Sometimes when the weather is gloomy – which can happen anytime throughout the day – I start to feel like Caracas is a depressing place. Venturing outside of the capitol always feels like shedding the noise, the decaying buildings and shantytowns. Walking around you see a variation of feelings just like in any city. People going about their work day, meeting up with friends or focusing their handheld devices. Crappy weather aside, I think that the atmosphere here can get heavy and maybe that’s why Caraquenos rush off to the beach any chance that they get. But now with the revelation of this poll, I think maybe I’ve let the complaints of both Venezuelans and other expatriates skew my perception…

Now when I walk the streets, I try to view the people going about their day in a different way. if the proof is in the pudding and Venezuelans feel better about their wellbeing than any other country in this hemisphere, I can stand to learn a little something from them.