Helicopter Parenting & Long-Term Effects

As parents, we always want to make sure the child's condition is healthy and good. We have a strong instinct to look after and supervise our children so that nothing bad happens to them. Whatever we will do so that the child is always in good condition and protected from negative things. However, if this is done excessively, even bad things will come from within us. Excessive behavior in looking after this child is termed as Parenting Helicopter.

According to Ann Dunnewold Ph. D., Helicopter Parenting is an excessive effort made by parents for their children. This business tends to want to be involved in all of the child's life. As a result, parents tend to overcontrolling, overprotecting, and over perfecting. A clear example of Helicopter parenting behavior is to forbid children from playing with their friends, choose extracurricular activities for children, even whatever toys parents control. Not only in young children, but this Parenting Helicopter can also continue until the children grow up.

Parents who are too dominating their children's lives will certainly hurt the lives of the children themselves. Initially, we might think "this is the best thing for the child". However, reality speaks otherwise. Helicopter Parenting instead has a negative effect that will affect the lives of children in the future. The following are some of the effects of Helicopter Parenting.

1. Children become less confident

Because children never learn to make their own choices, children become too dependent on their parents. As a result, children lack confidence in making decisions. Children tend to lack confidence in everything.

2. Less Skilled

Children who are accustomed to cleaning up their toys tied their shoelaces delivered to the school, and others who can do it themselves, he will grow into a child who is less skilled and spoiled.

3. Unable to Deal with Failure

Because so far all the shortcomings and mistakes of children are always taken care of parents, children become less ready to face problems. He will tend to be afraid of failure.

4. Depression

Because it is too dominated by the will of the parents, the children feel they have no power to make their own choices. This certainly can make him depressed.

5. Dissenters

Parents who are too protective can make children become dissidents. Too much prohibition or too much telling will not make a child obedient, just the opposite.

As parents, it's very natural if we always want to direct the child to something good. However, remember one thing, that children have the right to make their choices. Give the child the freedom to choose an extracurricular he likes. No need to be too demanding. You just need to be a superintendent for children. If children choose negative choices, we need to remind them in the smoothest way possible. Give understanding so that children understand that their choices are bad.