Is it normal to be a helicopter parent?

Maybe the helicopter parent didn’t feel loved or protected by their own parent and swore that their children would never feel this way. This is a completely normal and even admirable feeling. But while this might end a cycle of neglect, some parents go overboard and give their child more than the usual attention.

Where did the term helicopter parenting come from?

The term “helicopter parenting” describes parents who are overinvolved in their children’s lives. They hover close by, and swoop down to help at the first sign of trouble. The phrase first appeared in 1969, in Dr. Haim G. Ginott’s book Between Parent & Teenager.

What are the effects of helicopter parenting on college students?

College-aged students whose parents are overly involved in their academic lives, or whose parents created rigidly structured childhood environments, are more likely to experience anxiety and depression. They may also experience academic difficulties.

What do helicopter moms and dads do for their kids?

Likewise, helicopter moms and dads have a tendency to over-schedule their kids in an effort to give them a competitive edge in everything from school to sports to music. They may even try to manage their child’s friendships and social standing. The goal is to create every opportunity for their kids that they can.

The term was first coined in 1990 by Foster Cline and Jim Fay in their book, Parenting with Love and Logic, and it gained relevance with college admissions staff who noticed how parents of prospective students were inserting themselves in the admissions process. Helicopter parenting can be defined by three types of behaviors that parents exemplify:

Why is peer pressure a problem in helicopter parenting?

Peer pressure isn’t just a childhood problem — it also affects adults. So parents who surround themselves with helicopter parents might feel pressure to mimic this style of parenting, for fear that others will think they’re not as good of a parent if they don’t. What are the benefits of helicopter parenting?