Helicopter Parenting

Don't touch that, don't sit on the floor, don't do this/that, be careful! Parents watching his/her child's every move like a hawk and almost never letting his/her child out of sight unless at home. Sounds familiar? Any parent who tries to over-protect their children maybe doing their children a disservice without knowing it. 

What on earth is helicopter parenting?

Oops! I am a helicopter parent!!! Dear me, have to change...have to change..... :)

Do this instead: 

Loving parents will WANT their children to face, struggle with and ultimately overcome hard challenges in life, for that is how everybody grows and improves and becomes stronger.

Parents, be there to guide and direct your children when they come to you with their problems, but DON’T take away your children’s growth by solving their problems for them. Instead, TEACH your child to be a problem solver on their own; a self-starter and independent worker as it were in the game of life.

Remind your children that you as the parent will always be there for them, but that this is their life to live and grow and learn from, and that you cannot do any of that FOR THEM.

Whatever motivates Helicopter Parenting, be it extreme love or extreme guilt or a lack of faith in your child’s ability to face and overcome the normal obstacles of living, now more than ever all parents everywhere need to realize that our children can grow only if we allow them the opportunities to do so.

A few hard knocks is often a good thing in a person’s personal progression in life. As a loving parent you can be there for your child when they get a hard knock trying to figure out some aspect of life for themselves, but by all means don’t rob your child of the opportunity to grow by trying to clear away all the obstacles of life by which that growth is made possible.

Growth requires personal resistance to difficult circumstances, which creates in each of us the comforting knowledge that we can take what life has to offer, and that we are capable of getting back up even if we are occasionally knocked off our feet.

Your children can learn to be happy, healthy, strong and independent children in no other way.

Helicopter Parents everywhere, get out of your children’s way and allow them to grow and succeed.

(Preteen-Thru-Teenage-Parenting-Action Guide)