Easy Explanation Of Helicopter Parenting & Its Serious Impact On Children
- Lifestyle
Alessia Braun- 0
- 7 minutes read
What is the ideal way to raise a child? The answer to this has always been a hot topic of debate and it is likely you know someone who thinks their way of raising kids is the best way. The requirement to keep your child happy and safe may be part of the reason one often joked style of parenting is prevalent in the US which is helicopter parenting.
But parenting is a global phenomenon, and all parents irrespective of their geography should know various styles of raising their kids. So in this article, we are going to talk about helicopter parenting and what its features are.
What Is Helicopter Parenting?
Helicopter parents are those parents who pay extremely close attention to the activities and schoolwork of their kids in an effort to not only save them from disappointment or pain but to help them succeed. Helicopter parents are known to float over their wards and become overly associated in their lives. In the meantime, famous media outlets use the phrase “helicopter parent” to illustrate parents who are overprotective of their children.
The phrase “helicopter parent” was first termed in a 1969 book titled “Between Parent & Teenager.” The teen portrayed in the book reported that his mother kept an eye over him like a helicopter. Since then, many college institutions have used the phrase to imply to parents who prevail to try and watch over their children from a distance after they are away from college, and the term has spread to revolve around all overprotective parents.
Positive Aspects Of Helicopter Parenting
While the word helicopter parent is often implied in a derogatory manner, helicopter parenting is not all bad. You can usually depend on the children of helicopter parents to reach on time, to have their homework completed on time, and to be ready for their chores.
Similarly, helicopter parents tend to be quite aware of who their child is with and how their child is performing in school. And, if their child is battling in school or has reduced grades, they will do whatever they can to support them. The same is effective when it comes to illnesses, mental health issues, and even bullying issues. These parents will work tirelessly to ensure these issues are addressed properly.
Along with that, helicopter parents tend to be associated with parents who are the first to volunteer for any school functions and may even join the PTA at school. For this purpose, teachers, schools, and coaches can get an advantage from the amount of time, energy, and also the money they devote to making the school, the classroom, or even the team the best it can be.
Drawbacks Of Helicopter Parenting
Being too associated with the lives of the kids can be harmful, though. Kids can begin to feel apathetic and suffocated. They also may fight for independence and autonomy. Here are some of the helicopter parenting effects on the children:
Prevents the development of problem-solving skills:
Kids of all ages require their own problem-solving skills. Whether you have a 5-year-old who requires to learn how to sound out a word or a 25-year-old who cannot find a job, kids are required to know how to solve their own issues. Hovering parents, however, often get into trouble at the first sign of trouble, such that kids do not learn valuable issue solving skills.
Leads to dependence on parents:
Helicopter parents do too much for their kids that after a certain time the kids start to depend on them completely for everything. If a mother calls her 19-year-old to wake them up every morning to assure they get to class on time, they will never learn how to do this for themself. After a certain time, parents should allow their children to learn how to survive by themselves. This is a very big effect of helicopter parenting on adults.
Stop kids from learning to advocate for themselves:
Helicopter parents generally advocate for their children, rather than educating their children to advocate for themselves. It is crucial for kids to be able to raise questions, get clarification, and speak up when they require something. In the workforce, these kids will not have a Dad or Mom available to help them work with a mean boss or challenge a policy at their office.
Shields kids from natural consequences:
Kids are required to face some generic consequences in life. After all, in scenarios where parents do not intervene, kids are going to encounter consequences when they fail. Yet, most helicopter parents micromanage the activities of their children in an attempt to stop them from getting any negative results.
Wrapping Up
With any parenting pattern, it is crucial to consider how it will impact your child presently and in the future. Of course, each parent at some point in their parenting life has done a little extra to make the life of their child easier. The issue is when signs of helicopter parenting turn into a repetitive things and obstacles to healthy development.
If you are in the helicopter parenting style for your child you may not be aware of it, and there is no doubt you wish the best for your child. So just think about the person or even the adult you dream them to become, and then base your parenting pattern around this result. You will find that stepping back eases a heavy burden on your shoulders, as well as on theirs. Other similar types of parenting involve authoritative parenting, permissive parenting, and authoritarian parenting.
