Helicopter Parenting Destroys Child's Mental

There are various styles of parenting. One of them is helicopter parenting. What is helicopter parenting? What are the impacts on children's mental development? Come on, find out more about the helicopter parenting style!

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What is Helicopter Parenting?

Helicopter Parenting is a parenting style of parents who are overly focused on their children. Helicopter parents are another term for overprotective parents. Parents with helicopter parenting tend to overdo in protecting and managing all matters relating to children.

What are the causes of Helicopter Parenting?

The parenting helicopter is usually caused by excessive parental worry, competition between parents, and fear of being neglected by their children. Helicopter parents tend to 'shadow' the child in everything. Helicopter parenting implementation can be at every stage of life.

At preschool age, this parenting can be seen from the attitude of parents who never let their children play alone, or always direct the child's behavior.

Then at school age, helicopter parenting includes determining activities or selecting friends for their children, making sure the child's teacher or trainer at school as the parents wish or doing the child's homework until considered perfect.

What are the effects of implementing Helicopter parenting?

If left unchecked, helicopter parenting causes some negative impacts on children. Helicopter parenting style can make children become:

1. Difficult to solve their problems

According to research, children who are cared for by parenting helicopters tend to have difficulties when solving their problems. Especially in solving problems that exist in the school environment.

2. Difficult to be independent

If parents always wake the children in the morning for school and prepare all their needs, including cleaning school bags, the child will not learn to be independent. Someday children do not live with their parents anymore, and children must be able to take care of themselves.

3. Difficulty in controlling emotions

The parenting helicopter can increase the risk of difficult children to control emotions. This also makes it difficult for children to socialize with their friends.

4. Lack of confidence

Helicopter Parenting can make children less confident. Parents' distrust of the child's ability to do something so that children become distrustful of their abilities. Also, children who experience helicopter parenting have a higher risk of experiencing depression.

How to Prevent the Impacts of Helicopter parenting

Protecting children is indeed an obligation of parents. But if implementing it excessively, it will have a harmful impact on the child. 

There are several ways that parents can do to prevent the harmful effects of helicopter parenting, namely:

1. Make a list of children's abilities

The parents can make a list of children's abilities on a piece of paper, then decorate it. Then show the list to their child and convince them that there are many things they can do on their own. In this way, the child's confidence will grow.

2. Do not help the children when they getting punishment

Do not try to help them because of their mistakes or negligence. If the parents help them with their sentences, children will not be deterred and will continue to repeat the same mistakes. Children also do not learn to be responsible for their behavior.

3. Do not always help children in solving all problems

Stop assisting the children in solving trivial problems, (for example, tying shoelaces or doing homework). When the children ask for help with things that they can do on their own, teach them how to do it, and ask them to do it themselves.

4. Let children explore their world

When children are playing, the parents pay attention from a distance without the need to always join to play. Tell them to be careful.

Even if they get into an accident, don't over-respond, help them to stand up and calm them down when crying, then explain to them that that's what can happen if they are not careful. Then, please encourage the children to play again, but with more caution.

References

1. American Psychological Association (2018). Helicopter Parenting May Negatively Affect Children’s Emotional Well-Being, Behavior.

2. Bayless, K. Parents. What Is Helicopter Parenting?

3. Brenan, D. Web MD (2018). 7 Signs You Might Be A Helicopter Parents.

4. Duncan, A. Very Well Family (2018). 5 Ways To Balance Helicopter Parenting With Free-Range Parenting.

5. Lents, N H. Psychology Today (2016). Yes, Overprotective Parenting Harm Kids.

6. Morin, A. Very Well Family (2017). Do Helicopter Parents Help or Hurt Children?

7. Mozes, A.Web MD (2018). How ‘Helicopter’ Parenting Impedes A Child’s Development.

8. Skolnik, D. Parenting. How to Stop Helicopter Parenting.

9. Young, J L. Psychology Today (2017). The Effects Of Helicopter Parenting?