What Is Helicopter Parenting?
Helicopter parents refer to those parents that pay considerable interest to their children’s actions and education in order to defend them from pain and frustration while also assisting them in succeeding. Parents that watch over their kids and get too engaged in their lives are known as helicopter parents. Meanwhile, the term “helicopter parent” is frequently used in the media to denote overly controlling parents.
Typical Features of Helicopter Parenting
Overprotective behaviour is what most people associate with helicopter parents. Educational platforms which knows how to create an online course typically determine the characteristic features of helicopter parents. This definition, however, can be overly restrictive at times. These parents are extremely organised. They are highly concerned in their children’s life from birth to college, to the extent where their own hobbies and passions take precedence.
This implies that the family expenses centre around the needs of the children. They also might put their own individualised objectives and career ambitions on hold in order to provide for their children.
Similarly, helicopter parents tend to overly schedule their children in order to give them an advantage in everything they receive from school to athletics to music. They might even try to control their kid’s social life and peer relations. Their main goal is to provide their children with every opportunity possible.
In conclusion, helicopter parents are happy with their involvement in their children’s lives and often see no flaws in their parenting. They perceive their acts as a way to safeguard their child from every problem while also assisting them in becoming more independent.
However, getting excessively involved in the lives of children can be damaging. Suffocation and apathy can develop in children. They may also suffer with independence and autonomy. The following are some of the disadvantages of helicopter parenting:
1. Prevents the growth of problem-solving abilities: Although various online platforms sell courses online on developing problem solving skills. These abilities are necessary for children of all ages. Whether it’s a 5-year-old who is required to learn how to pronounce the words correctly or a 25-year-old who is unemployed, children must be able to handle their own issues. Hovering parents, on the other hand, frequently interfere at the first indication of trouble, preventing children from developing important problem-solving abilities.
- Unhealthy Dependency on parents develops: Helicopter parents provide so much for their children that they may become reliant on them. If a mother wakes up her 19-year-old every morning to make sure they go to school everyday, they will never learn how to do it on their own. Parents should assist their children in learning how to live without them.
- Disallows children to learn to speak for oneself: Rather than training their kids to fight for themselves, helicopter parents frequently speak for them. Asking questions, getting explanations, and speaking out whenever they need something is critical for children. These children will not have their parents to help them cope with a difficult supervisor or workplace policy when they enter the workforce.
- Protects children from the effects of nature: In life, children must confront some inevitable consequences. After all, if parents do not interfere, children will bear the effects if they fail. However, most helicopter parents closely monitor their children’s actions in order to avoid any unwanted outcomes.
- The parent-child connection is harmed: A helicopter parent’s actions may also cause problems in the parent-child connection. Continually pushing your kid to finish their schoolwork or following their each step is unlikely to help them want to communicate with you more. Rather, it may alienate your child.
Examples
Here are few examples of helicopter parenting
- A helicopter mother or father chooses their children’s best buddy and their pursuits in middle school. Because they think they understand what’s good for the child, parents rarely consider their children’s priority.
- In high school, a parent may take on the task of studying and choosing universities to which their child will apply. When their child goes to college, they keep a close eye on their child. If their child does not get into the best school, they may contact the admissions committee for a clarification. The parent may request to extend the submission date or finish homework for their children in college. They might also attend interviews, seminars with their child.
