The hovering mom.

When Dexter was about 14 or 15 months I got called a hover mom by some old man at the library. I don't think he realized but I took this as a compliment. The whole situation was typical for me. People seem to say the strangest things to me and this guy was no exception.

We were waiting for the library to open and Dexter who was still walking like a dinosaur was trying to explore and I was walking around behind him. There was an old man present who was trying to entice my child to come over to him, and normally I would not care but this guy smelled horrid of cigarettes and so I decided my child did not need to go over there. So the old guy starts talking to me asking me about him and told me he was so big for his age, to which I responded "not really he's in the 50% for his height and weight, so hes average" then the guy tells me something like well Doctor's don't know anything anyways that's why the call them practices, their just practicing.
I thought this would be where our conversation ended because Dex walked away but no, this guy felt the need to go on talking. He started making comments on how I was walking to close behind him and I needed to let him go. Well when I did not do that he just starts shouting at me that I am hoovering over him and I was some sort of Hoover mom. It was a new thing and I was it. It just made me laugh, who does not hoover over their small child learning how to walk? Isn't that what moms are for? That pretty much is our only purpose. Protect our children.
Well my parenting has pretty much never changed. I stand to close to my kids. I carry them as often as I can. I would never leave them some where that I could not see them. The thought of walking in my house while they are outside freaks me out. It makes me sweat
Well I guess the term has changed and now I am a "helicopter" mom. I recently got told this again at the park when I followed Dexter around the park. I was letting him play on what he wanted but I just was making sure he did not fall off it. He is not very coordinated yet, he is only two! So am I the crazy one for guarding my children or am I the sane one? The playground equipment was meant for 5-12 year old kids. Not two year old toddlers with no sense of danger.