Helicopter Parenting: Are Overprotective Parents Ruining Their Children’s Independence?

Michael Grose, a parenting expert, urged parents to stop being overprotective and give their children a chance to do things on their own. He said parents should help their kids become confident by building their independence. Most parents are, however, turning away from this approach and are doing more for their kids instead.

Grose said overprotective parents have given rise to kids who are afraid to take risks. These children have remained dependent on their parents emotionally and financially even if they are already of age. Parents generally mean well but it would be better if they give their kids more freedom to experience hurt and failure in the process.

"Accessing and facing risk has always been a part of childhood," he said, according to ABC. "It's only over the past few decades that much of the unpredictability and uncertainty has been removed from kids' lives, which keeps them dependent on adults for longer," he added.

Dependency parenting has been blamed on the very hectic schedules of parents. Parents who are pressed for time would rather do everything than wait for their kids to set the table or even pack their lunch bag. Parents of small families usually do more for their children compared to larger families where they delegate chores to different kids.

Julie Lythcott-Haims, a freshman Dean at the Standford University, narrated how the independence of new students are reduced each year. Ironically, they become less capable of doing things on their own as their parents become more involved and intrusive, as per Independent. She said these parents try their best to shield their children from failure and disappointment, limiting their independence in the process.

Helicopter parents are raising kids who could not do anything without their parents, according to Washington Post. These children grow up with low self-worth because they have always relied on their parents to accomplish everything for them. Experts, however, said being pushy should not be equated with good parenting. On the contrary, good parenting is all about being responsive to the need of one's child.