How To know if you are Being a Helicopter/Overprotective Parent?

Parenting has become increasingly complex these days. One parenting style that has attracted a lot of buzz and attention due to the possessiveness, over protectiveness of Parents toward their children is "Helicopter Parenting".

 Helicopter parents are known for their excessive involvement and constant hovering over their children's lives. While their intentions may be rooted in love and protection, this style of parenting can have significant drawbacks.

What is Helicopter Parenting?

Helicopter parenting refers to a style of parenting characterized by overprotectiveness, excessive control, and high levels of involvement in a child's life. Helicopter parents tend to monitor their children's activities closely, intervene in their decision-making, and shield them from any potential risks or failures. Helicopter parents are trying hard to do the right thing but have many negative effects on children such as lack of self-esteem, failure to learn life skills, and failure to manage risk.

How To Recognize if you are Being a Helicopter Parent?

Recognizing if you are exhibiting helicopter parenting tendencies can be an important step toward finding a healthier balance in your parenting approach. Here are some signs that may indicate you are being a helicopter parent:

• You are deeply involved in every aspect of your child’s life.
• You are Micromanaging the schedules and school activities of your children.
• You are applying intense pressure to perform well in school and other activities.
• You Constantly worry about negative things that might happen to your child.
• Excessively interfering in the child’s life in an attempt to eliminate any and all negative experiences.
• Being overprotective and over-possessive.
• Not trusting your child’s friendship choices.
• You are monitoring your child’s social media.

Consequences of Helicopter Parenting:

While helicopter parenting may arise from good intentions, it can have unintended negative consequences on a child's development. Researchers found that the more a parent was over-controlling or “hovering”, the more it impacted their development negatively. 

Lack of autonomy and independence: Helicopter parenting can hinder a child's ability to develop problem-solving skills and make decisions independently. helicopter parents micromanage their children's schedules, making them dependent and less capable.

Reduced resilience and coping skills: By shielding children from failures and challenges, helicopter parents don't give their children opportunities to learn from setbacks and develop resilience. As a result, children may struggle to cope with adversity and develop necessary life skills.

Increased anxiety and stress: Constant monitoring and pressure to meet high expectations can create a stressful environment for children. They may feel a constant need to perform and fear making mistakes, leading to heightened anxiety and self-doubt.

10 Ways to Stop Helicopter Parenting

It is essential to strike a balance between being involved and allowing children to develop autonomy. Here are some strategies for parents to find a healthy middle ground:

Remind them only once.: No one likes a nag, and no one likes being a nag. So give a single reminder when you must, and then step back and let your kids rise to the occasion.

Stop taking responsibility for your kids’ actions: You don't need to overprotect your child, they should know what have they done and what consequences taste like. Let them be accountable for their own actions.

Let them learn from their own experience and mistakes: Our kids learn from failing, a whole heck-of-a-lot more than they do from being rescued. We have to let them learn some things for themselves. That doesn’t mean we’re not going to guide them, It just means that we have to let them learn some lessons first-hand, even if it’s uncomfortable for them –– and us.

Foster independence and respect their decisions: Encourage age-appropriate independence and decision-making. Allow children to take on responsibilities, make choices, and experience natural consequences.

Provide opportunities for growth and mistakes: Encourage children to explore their interests, engage in age-appropriate activities, and take on challenges. Allow them to experience failures and setbacks as valuable learning opportunities.

Set realistic expectations: Understand and accept that children will make mistakes and face challenges along the way. Avoid placing excessive pressure on academic or extracurricular achievements, and focus on their overall well-being and character development.

Let them do their tasks themselves: Encourage children to find solutions to their own problems by asking open-ended questions and guiding them through the thought process. Support their critical thinking and decision-making skills.

When we have children, it can be easy to forget that independence is one of the most important traits we can encourage in our children. While the desire to protect and support children is natural, helicopter parenting can hinder their growth and development. Striking a balance between involvement and allowing independence is crucial for fostering resilience, self-confidence, and healthy decision-making skills.

LOVE AND SUPPORT ALWAYS...!!