Entertainment
In defense of helicopter parents
This column is the latest in a series on parenting children in the final years of high school, “Emptying the Nest.” Read the previous installment, about relearning how to be alone at home, here.
I recently saw a headline in the New York Times that I thought was the answer to my prayers: “Anxious Parents are the Ones Who Need Help.”
Yes, please, I thought, hoping to find acknowledgment of all the very real forces that can turn any parent into an anxious mess.
Things like school shootings, worsening teen mental health, the ongoing debate over the danger of smartphones, the rising cost of a college education, the growing restrictions on female reproductive rights, the housing crisis, the opioid crisis, the fentanyl crisis, and, of course, the climate crisis.
As I prepare to launch my third child out of the nest, my personal and parental anxiety is at a fever pitch; I’ll take any offer of help I can get.
Alas, it was not to be. The piece, written by a senior staff psychiatrist at Boston University Health Services, focused exclusively on parental anxieties that can arise during a child’s college experience, particularly freshman year.
In a tone as kind and generous as possible, the author advised parents to just try to detach and chill.
It’s something parents hear all the time, when they are not being inundated with every type of story that can fit under the headline “The Kids Are Not Alright”: Modern American parents need to stop trying to control every moment of their children’s lives and relax.
Wouldn’t that be nice? To just, you know, let it all go and relax?
To be fair, I absolutely plan to relax, at least a little, once I have deposited my third and youngest child at the college of her choice.
(This may be wishful thinking. Her current top picks include three UCs, each with an average admission GPA of 4.0, and an out-of-state school that costs — as the young woman leading the orientation informed us with a completely straight face — $90,000 a year.)
After we sent our older kids to college, my husband and I left them to their own devices, which worked out just fine — though I can see why some parents feel justified in demanding that their child have a VIP college experience when the sticker price, as it is for Boston University, is $82,000.
But honestly, it’s the time before college that can turn even the most stoic, no-nonsense parent into an insomniac mess.
Because no one gets more dire warnings, eye-rolling criticism or conflicting information thrown at them than parents.
The kids, we are told repeatedly, are not doing well. They are depressed, they are anxious, they hate their bodies. They are addicted to their phones, don’t know how to make friends, can’t read or do math well enough and are easy prey for sexual predators and brainwashing extremists. They don’t want to work, they can’t find work, and the work they do find doesn’t offer benefits and they can’t afford to live close to it.
Try to prevent or mitigate any of the above and you risk being labeled neurotic, a “helicopter parent.” Take a more hands-off approach and you’re accused of being uninvolved or neglectful.
Occasionally it is acknowledged that larger forces — gun violence; overcrowded schools stripped of arts and vocational programs; racism, sexism, homophobia; the unregulated force of social media — could be contributing factors in our children’s perceived problems.
More usually, however, the parents somehow shoulder the blame.
Either we’re not giving our children enough free time or we’re not monitoring what they do. We’re too fixated on conventional definitions of success or we’re pressuring them to be unconventional. We’re not allowing them to make their own mistakes and face the consequences or we’re not seeing signs of trouble early and getting them the help they clearly need.
All on our own, by the way. As research shows, the historic safety nets of extended family and involved community are increasingly frayed by mobility and the economic necessity of a two-income family, and nothing has been offered to replace them.
If you can afford help, you are faced with inevitable criticism for putting your kids in day care or “handing them over” to a nanny, a relationship that often raises issues of economic disparity, immigration status and racism.
And it doesn’t end when the little geezers turn 18 or graduate from college. Parents of young adults are increasingly expected to force them to be independent while also either underwriting their rent/down payments or allowing them to return home.
But sure, parents are anxious because they are paranoid control freaks.
I love being a parent, and most of the time I simply ignore the endless criticism that has been spewed my way. You don’t think I should breastfeed in public / put my kids in day care / let them have sleepovers / give them smartphones /track those phones’ locations / enroll them in club sports / encourage them to have birth control, Narcan and fentanyl testing strips on hand? I don’t remember asking you.
And if you are not willing to come to my house and cook a meal or empty this damn dishwasher, I really don’t want to hear it.
But in recent years, I have felt myself wilt, felt myself waver, felt myself surrender to all the studies and opinion pieces and become a big hot mess.
Perhaps it was the pandemic, which traumatized so many of us in so many ways. Perhaps it’s just because my youngest is, and always will be, the baby of the family. But I find myself beset by second-guessing.
She seems happy. Is that happiness real? She’s doing well in school. Is she too worried about grades? She has a job, participates in extracurriculars. Is her schedule too full? She has an active social life. Is wherever she’s going safe? She seems a little down. Is she clinically depressed?
It’s exhausting and slightly ridiculous: “Don’t choke on the one-yard line,” I tell myself. In a few months, she’ll be 18; in a year, she’ll be out the door. But then what?
I’m not a helicopter parent, a term I have come to loathe. But I am currently an anxious one. And you know what? That’s a perfectly reasonable thing to be.
Movie Reviews
1986 Movie Reviews – About Last Night, Big Trouble in Little China, The Great Mouse Detective, Howling II, Psycho III, Under the Cherry Moon | The Nerdy
Welcome to an exciting year-long project here at The Nerdy. 1986 was an exciting year for films giving us a lot of films that would go on to be beloved favorites and cult classics. It was also the start to a major shift in cultural and societal norms, and some of those still reverberate to this day.
We’re going to pick and choose which movies we hit, but right now the list stands at nearly four dozen.
Yes, we’re insane, but 1986 was that great of a year for film.
The articles will come out – in most cases – on the same day the films hit theaters in 1986 so that it is their true 40th anniversary. All films are also watched again for the purposes of these reviews and are not being done from memory. In some cases, it truly will be the first time we’ve seen them.
This time around, it’s July 4, 1986, and we’re off to seeAbout Last Night, Big Trouble in Little China, The Great Mouse Detective, Howling II, Psycho III, and Under the Cherry Moon.
About Last Night
St. Elmo’s Fire was awful. This feels like a make-good for two of the actors.
Danny Martin (Rob Lowe) meets Debbie Sullivan (Demi Moore) and their chemistry is electric and immediate. They waste no time becoming serious, and moving in together, despite neither of them having ever had a serious relationship. They quickly discover it’s not quite as easy as just sharing an apartment like you do with a roommate.
I didn’t love the movie (mainly due to Jim Belushi’s Bernie character), but I did enjoy it far more than I anticipated.Moore and Lowe’s on-screen chemistry really clicked far more than most on-screen couples.
It’s a good character study, and keeps you engaged. Is it essential viewing? That’s up to you.
Where to watch: Available to stream.
Big Trouble in Little China
If there was ever a poster child for a movie that found a second life in rentals and on cable, this is it.
Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) is a over-the-road trucker with a lot of thoughts on life and how important reflexes are. While making a delivery in Chinatown, he gets sucked into a situation with an ancient Chinese evil trying to regain its humanity, and all Jack really wants is to get his truck back.
John Carpenter wasn’t quite a household name, but with films such as Halloween, The Thing and Escape From New York to his name, people were taking notice. Teaming with Russell for another outing seemed like it would be another win, but this one proved just a little too odd for mainstream audiences. Once it got into our homes, however, everyone fell in love with it.
As Jack Burton always says, it’s a must-see for any 80s journey.
Where to watch: Available to stream.
The Great Mouse Detective
I had never seen it, and as Disney films go, I would have been fine keeping it that way.
Set in Longon in 1897, a young mouse named Olivia Flaversham witnesses her toymaker father get kidnapped. She seeks out Basil of Baket Street, also known as the Great Mouse Detective. Along with David Q. Dawson, recently returned from serving in the military in Afghanistan, the three of them try to stop Professor Ratigan from replacing the Queen.
It’s just a Sherlock Holmes story, but with mice. I didn’t find anything that compelling about it. It was pretty enough to look at, but the story just left me fairly empty.
Where to watch: Available to stream.
Howling II
I… have a lot of thoughts.
Following up on the end of the The Howling, Ben White (Reb Brown) buries his sister Karen White, and quickly learns she was a werewolf. He teams up with werewolf hunter Stedan Crosscoe (Christopher Lee) to take down Stirba (Sybil Danning), the queen of the werewolves who is about to celebrate her 1,000th birthday, and stop the spread of the werewolf curse.
On paper it sounds fine, in execution it is just… horrible. Poorly lit, horrible acting, low-grade effects, and costuming that leaves you more confused than anything else.
Avoid at all costs.
Where to watch: Available to stream.
Psycho III
I have to admit, so far these sequels haven’t been horrible.
Following up shortly after the vents of Psycho II, Norman (Anthony Perkins) is still hiding the body of Emma Spool, and having issues again with seeing “Mother.” He hires drifter Duane Duke (Jeff Fahey) to run the motel. He also meets Maureen (Diana Scarwid), a nun on the run after she accidentally kills one of her sisters. With a new woman in his life, Mother has some thoughts on what Norman should be doing.
In general I actually enjoyed this new outing in the franchise, although it feels it missed some opportunities at the end of the story of Norman and Maureen working together. What if Maureen had actually been the one manipulating Norman this time? There was another movie lurking in the background that sadly never gets broached.
What we did end up with, however, was entertaining.
Where to watch: Available to stream.
Under the Cherry Moon
This film was unfairly maligned.
Christopher Tracy (Prince) and Tricky (Jerome Benton) as wooing women in France in hopes of getting enough money to head back to Miami one day. When Christopher hears about Mary Sharon (Kristin Scott Thomas) inherting a trust fund of $50 million for her 21st birthday, she becomes his next mark, but little does he know how it will end for him.
Following Purple Rain, Prince could do no wrong in Hollywood and was given a blank check for his next film. Audiences and critics did not warm to this film as it wasn’t Purple Rain 2 and it lived with a bad reputation for years.
I hadn’t seen it in 35 years or more when I watched it for this report, and… I really enjoyed it. It’s over-the-top, but in the right way. Prince was clearly paying homage to the silent movie romance films, and it works for what it is. Is he a great actor? No. Does it work for this film? Yes.
Honestly, this may be one of the most enjoyable films I’ve had in this project in several weeks. It’s worth a reassessment.
Where to watch: Available to stream.
1986 Movie Reviews will continue on July 11, 2026, with Club Paradise.
Entertainment
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce: Revisit the roots of their love story ahead of MSG wedding bash
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s love story will reach new heights this week with a totally low-key two-day wedding bash at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
The billionaire pop titan and the NFL star, both 36, kicked off their wedding festivities Thursday afternoon with a rehearsal dinner at the famed sports arena. They have all but confirmed that they will then exchange their vows Friday in a grand MSG celebration with around 1,000 guests (including Swift’s celebrity friends and Kelce’s fellow sports stars) in attendance, at least according to numerous reports. The celebrity wedding will also reportedly feature heightened security around Madison Square Garden, performances by Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw, and a red carpet outside the arena.
Representatives for Madison Square Garden, Swift and Kelce have not responded to The Times’ requests for comment.
Swift and Kelce’s relationship began nearly three years ago during the singer’s blockbuster Eras tour with a simple request and a friendship bracelet. Read on to revisit the roots of Swift and Kelce’s whirlwind romance turned generational love story, from the Kelce brothers’ “New Heights” podcast to a romantic garden engagement.
July 2023: Travis Kelce shoots his shot
Swift and Kelce’s romance can be traced back to summer 2023, when the Kansas City Chiefs tight end attended an Eras tour concert at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs’ house. Kelce — a self-proclaimed Swiftie — told brother Jason Kelce in an episode of their “New Heights” podcast that he had a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it but didn’t get it to the singer. “I was a little … hurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her,” he said at the time. Eventually, the two got in touch.
September 2023: Taylor Swift shows up for her guy
Taylor Swift watches the Chiefs take on the Chicago Bears at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., on Sept. 24, 2023.
(David Eulitt / Getty Images)
The then-rumored romance quickly became commentary fodder for NFL broadcasts (sometimes to sports fans’ chagrin) but took a turn when Swift seemingly accepted Kelce’s personal invitation to a home game. She was seen cheering for him in a private box alongside his mother, Donna Kelce. Soon enough, Swift became a staple in the Chiefs audience. In the following months, Swift and Kelce further solidified their relationship, making it paparazzi-official during an after-party for “Saturday Night Live” and on her Eras tour in November when the singer changed her “Karma” lyrics to reference her budding romance.
February 2024: Super Bowl LVIII (Taylor’s Version)
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift smooch after Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas in February 2024.
(John Locher / Associated Press)
Swift and Kelce’s love notably played out at Super Bowl LVIII, where the Chiefs faced the San Francisco 49ers. When the Chiefs won, the Grammy winner joined Kelce on the field, kissing and hugging him. A week before the big game, Swift announced her album, “Tortured Poets Department,” at the Grammy Awards. The album seemingly refers to Kelce in songs “The Alchemy” and “So High School.”
The pair continued going strong throughout 2024. As Swift‘s tour continued, Kelce joined his superstar girlfriend on stage in London. She also returned regularly to Arrowhead Stadium for Chiefs home games during the 2024-25 NFL season. Swift ended her Eras tour in December 2024 and hosted a private wrap party to celebrate her musical marathon. Of course, beau Kelce was in attendance.
August 2025: Baby, just say ‘yes!’
The following year was a relatively quieter one for the couple. Kelce and his Chiefs failed to beat the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LIX and Swift was in the midst of recovering from her tour and preparing for her newest album. But just when there seemed to be a lull in all things Taylor-Travis, the couple hit some major milestones.
First, Swift finally appeared on the Kelce brothers’ “New Heights” podcast. Remember, that’s where all of this started. The couple, of course, spoke about their whirlwind romance, but the main headline was that Swift would release her album “The Life of a Showgirl” later that fall. With songs “Redwood” and “Wish List,” it was pretty clear Kelce inspired Swift during the songwriting process.
Second, and more importantly, “Love Story” singer Swift announced on Instagram that she and Kelce were engaged. She shared photos from their dreamy garden proposal with the caption: “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.” Kelce popped the question with an elongated old mine cut cushion set within an engraved gold band. Speculation on the details of their nuptials, including date and location, were almost immediately underway.
Since their engagement, Kelce and Swift have appeared together at a handful of high-profile events including the iHeartRadio Music Awards in March, courtside at Rocket Arena in Cleveland during the 2026 NBA playoffs and the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony in June, which honored Swift.
For now, welcome to New York, soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs.
Movie Reviews
Movie Review: ‘Minions & Monsters’ is a very yellow mash note to Hollywood – Sentinel Colorado
-
This image released by Universal Pictures shows a scene from Illumination’s “Minions & Monsters.” (Universal Pictures via AP) -
This image released by Universal Pictures shows minions with the alien character Goomi, voiced by Trey Parker, right, in a scene from Illumination’s “Minions & Monsters.” (Universal Pictures via AP) -
This image released by Universal Pictures shows minion Henry, voiced by Pierre Coffin, left, and Goomi, voiced by Trey Parker, in a scene from Illumination’s “Minions & Monsters.” (Universal Pictures via AP) -
This image released by Universal Pictures shows a scene from Illumination’s “Minions & Monsters.” (Universal Pictures via AP)
Every once in a while, Hollywood gets high on its own supply and makes a love letter to moviemaking. It happened recently with Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” and George Clooney’s “Jay Kelly.” Now it’s time for the unlikeliest of love-letter writers: canary-yellow, gibberish-speaking, overall-wearing mini-monsters.
“Minions & Monsters” — the third chapter in the ongoing standalone adventures of the “Despicable Me” pint-sized enablers — is about the sheer greatness of moviemaking, and it’s a navel-gazing misfire. Few industries — maybe journalism, sure — is as enamored at making its profession seem heroic.
The Minions this time find themselves at the dawn of both the movie business in Hollywood and the last push by suffragists to get the vote. It’s a weird confluence that writers Brian Lynch and Pierre Coffin fumble.
The movie has playful references to old screen gods — Harold Lloyd dangling from the hands of a clock and Charlie Chaplin swallowed by the gears of a mechanical system — along Hollywood nods to “Casablanca” and the punny title “The Good, the Bad and the Stupid” — but the kids in the audience won’t get them and their parents are just too tired. Harold Lloyd jokes don’t hit as hard in 2026.
Two of the legion of faceless Minions step forward this time — best friends James and Henry, creative misfits amid a smear of yellow drones — to unite and make a movie. (Who knew there was a Minion counterculture?)
Things go very well at first — turns out adding a Minion or two to a cowboy or a heist movie makes them instant kings of the box office — and they soon move into a Beverly Hills mansion and become insufferable. James dreams of winning an Oscar, which in this case is a statuette of a gold banana, a Minion obsession.
But they hit a wall when silent movies turn to talkies. And since they spout nothing but nonsense — “Fantastico” “miso soup” and “vamos” — can’t make the transition. They’re dumped out of the studio system.
That’s when James and Henry finally get the plot going: Make their own killer monster movie by conjuring up real monsters. The first one they try turns out a little weird: The gigantic, fearsome octopus-dragon they request turns out to be a cute green Funko Pop-like critter called Goomi, voiced by Trey Parker. Goomi promises to find them some real monsters. But should we trust him?
Coffin, making his first solo directing effort after co-helming all three “Despicable Me” films and the first “Minions,” voices all the Minions — he must be fun to have at parties — and is an assured hand. The violence levels are a little high for PG, including a beheading and various impalings, plus the usual senseless mayhem.
The screenwriters have included a romantic subplot involving a suffragette voiced by Zoey Deutch who falls for a robot-alien (standout work by Jesse Eisenberg) in a storyline that makes less and less sense. And the framing device — a museum tour guide explaining how Minions shaped Hollywood — sags awkwardly.
Adults can keep awake looking for the Easter eggs Coffin has left for serious cinephiles: “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” “Steamboat Bill, Jr.,” “A Trip to the Moon,” “Metropolis,” “Citizen Kane” and “The Blob.” Maybe the best moment in the movie is almost a throwaway: Director George Lucas, appearing as himself.
“Hooray for Hollywood” is on the soundtrack and that might have been the subtitle for the movie itself. There are some people whose eyes get moist thinking about picking up a film camera and following their muse, having their work play in a dark theater to cheers. And then there are others who just want to get on with it already. “Vamos!”
“Minions & Monsters,” a Universal Pictures release that opens in theaters July 1, is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association for “violence/action, language, and rude/macabre humor.” Running time: 90 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.
Related
-
Kentucky2 minutes agoWhat’s on the grill? Kentucky Wildcats share 4th of July plans
-
Louisiana4 minutes agoLouisiana grand jury’s role in legal proceedings explained
-
Maine10 minutes agoHuge brand bringing its iGaming app when Maine online casinos launch
-
Maryland17 minutes agoGov Moore delivers patriotic Independence Day speech as Dan Cox focuses on Maryland issues
-
Michigan20 minutes ago3 dead after vehicle collides with semitruck on Interstate 94 in Wayne County, Michigan State Police say
-
Massachusetts25 minutes agoOne dead in Cambridge shooting
-
Minnesota32 minutes agoOne of two charged in Montevideo, Minnesota, drive-by shooting pleads guilty
-
Mississippi35 minutes ago10 Nicest Small Towns In Mississippi
