Parents who “hover” over their children have the best of intentions, and the dedication and involvement often lead to wonderful outcomes for children and parents alike. At the same time, along the continuum of parental involvement, there are times and levels at which the neither the child or parent are served, such as in the development of problem-solving skills, emotional resilience, and independence.
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Boston Magazine series |
A lovely place to start on the subject — covers numerous angles on the subject. |
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On helicopter parenting |
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Time Magazine article advocates for more free play, even if it results in some injuries. And, emotional scapes and bruises serve their purpose as well. |
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Feature article in Time Magazine. Cute, although hopefully extreme, examples in the first couple paragraphs precede an analysis of risk, cultural examinations of the trend, and more. |
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A lengthy article about how parents’ best intentions can lead to some undesirable ends. Wanting the best for your child can have unintended results. |
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Documentary film that looks at the pressure from parents/society on schooling and where that is headed may not be where we want to end up. |
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From an article, to mega media attention about children’s freedom and what is appropriate, to a book, and to this blog. Might it also make a TV show? Yup, that too. The posts and material is sure to gain a laugh, and a pondering. |
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The Dark Side of Parental Devotion: How Camp Can Let the Sun Shine |
An article by Dr. Wendy Mogel that appeared in Camping Magazine covers: “Good Suffering,” Camp — Escape from Devotion, Thorns and Roses, Choosing between the Good and the Good, What Goes Around Comes Around — Teacups and Crispies, and Don’t Live Up to Your Potential — Leave Some for Later. |
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Once the child is in the workplace, these parents stay involved, and want to protect and promote their children. Here’s another article on the same subject. |
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Check out the fascinating map that shows how the range has shifted over the years. Offers a nature angle to the story as well. |
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Perspective from Time Magazine. |
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The percentage of 20-somethings living at home doubled between 1980 and 2008. Find out more about children who don’t find independence. |
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Info-graphic describing what happens with closely hovering parents. |
From uninvolved to helicopter parents, there is certainly a continuum. For the sake of defining that continuum, the higher-end of the spectrum of helicoptering is often described. Please keep that in mind, as otherwise descriptions can come off as extreme and pathological, which doesn’t describe the vast majority of parents.
So, with that in mind, a polar description of helicopter parents would include constantly praising and interacting, wanting to be their child’s best friend, track their children’s daily activities in detail, run interference when their child encounters any hiccups in life, talks to teachers about bad grades and usually assumes it is the teacher’s fault, seeing their children as exceptional/leaders/incredible.
