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Helicopter Parenting: What is it & Why You Should Stay Away from it!

Unspoiled by devolution, young children are the purest, most honest, and innocent beings in the world. Because of this nature, they can’t tell what is socially acceptable and what is not. Thus, as they grow up and evolve, the parents are required to take up the responsibility to help mold their kids into respected individuals. Having said that, it often happens that no matter how well-intentioned, some parents turn up to be overbearing and try to control every aspect of their child’s life. It is this style of parenting that is known as helicopter parenting.

At Sapphire International School, ranked among the best cbse school in noida, we firmly believe that it is important to understand that since children are inherently curious, they mustn’t be stopped from trying to explore new horizons. But when parents switch to helicopter parenting, it not just ends up stunting the growth and development of young minds into their individual personalities but also keeps them from exploring and learning anything new. This makes them suffer in terms of poor skill development.

Thus, if you think you are unknowingly turning into a helicopter parent and are trying to micromanage your child’s activities, we, being their mentors and guides, would like to advise you to try and avoid falling into the trap of being overbearing. In this article today, we will delve deeper into understanding what helicopter parenting exactly is and how it negatively impacts the growth of children. We are sure that upon understanding the issues with helicopter parenting, you will be in a better position to stay away from the same and thereby help your children grow into exemplary and successful individuals.

Helicopter Parenting: A Well-Intentioned Flaw

Many flaws are borne from good intentions. Although the terms helicopter and parenting are far from one another, they are often used together to form an unflattering phrase prevalent in millions of households worldwide.

So, the term “helicopter parents” is generally used to refer to those parents who want to be involved in every aspect of their children’s lives. They are overprotective and overly involved in their children’s lives. It is a type of parenting that’s characterized by unnecessarily close supervision, over-involvement, and hovering over every aspect of their lives. It also involves making decisions for one’s child without consulting them first or letting them make the decision themselves. In other words, helicopter parents control everything their child does. Such parents, often unknowingly, end up being too dominant and suffocating for the child.

At Sapphire International School, we believe that no matter what, parents should avoid hovering around or controlling everything their child does. That’s so because it will never teach them how to function independently in the real world. In the section below, let’s elaborate in detail the ill effects of helicopter parenting:

Low Self-Esteem: Helicopter parenting inevitably leads to low self-esteem in children. Such parents do not allow their children to make mistakes and constantly try to solve problems on their behalf. It thus leads to children who don’t know how to solve their problems and become reliant on their parents instead of developing independence. The children feel inadequate and think they are not qualified to make their own decisions.

Depression: In recent years, helicopter parenting has been linked to increased rates of depression in children due to the lack of autonomy and independence they experience. It can be especially true for teenagers who are expected to live at home until they are adults or until they graduate from college. This parenting style can lead to depression in children because they lack the space to be themselves and develop their personalities.

Anxiety Disorder: Anxiety disorder is a common byproduct of helicopter parenting. It’s a constant worry or fear, even when there is nothing to worry about. It has been seen that children raised by helicopter parenting experience more anxiety due to being constantly watched and controlled by their parents. Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness always remain prevalent in such kids. Being relaxed is an essential part of having an efficient and confident lifestyle, but if your child is anxious every time, he will be deprived of this privilege.

Self-Entitlement: Helicopter parenting is often linked to the rise in self-entitlement among children. It is because helicopter parents usually do everything for their kids instead of allowing them to learn how to do it themselves. Hence, they get everything they want without working for it. It can also lead to the child being unable to work through problems independently and not being able to deal with them when they arise.

In a nutshell…

It has been seen that since taking every single decision on behalf of their kids seems to be a better way to keep them from experiencing any sort of loss or discomfort, many parents fall into the trap of being overprotective. However, we, at Sapphire International School, one of the leading best cbse school in noida, would advise you to keep in mind that mistakes are a natural part of life. They are a way for us to learn and grow. As such, it is important for you to encourage your children to take chances and explore the world by themselves. This is the only way to nurture their confidence to cope with challenges and encourage them to reach for the sky.

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