There's usually a negative connotation that comes with helicopter parenting. The general perception is hovering over the children won't teach them problem-solving skills essential for living independently as adults.
Some experts and parents, however, think helicopter parenting might be good for the children. For mom Yolande Barial, helicopter parenting is not entirely bad. In her article published in Golden State Newspapers, Barial details how she loves the idea of hovering over her children.
Barial likens hovering to an actual helicopter crew doing rescue missions, where a team provides assistance to those on the ground. Hovering also gives one a vantage point from which to assess what's really going on. Using this analogy, Barial said helicopter parenting gives parents the option to step in "if necessary" or simply watch how a child handles a situation.
For family issue expert Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, there seems to be a confusion between helicopter parenting and over-parenting, and this requires differentiation. She believes the latter is more about letting children get a free pass from making mistakes because parents micro-manage all of their activities, including taking care of everything for the kids.
"Helicopter parenting is entirely different, and I think it is a positive style of child-rearing," she said, as per Boston Globe. One example is that of an involved mom who still helps her college-age children choose decorations for their dorm rooms or becomes their sounding board whenever they have to figure out problems and challenges.
Helicopter parenting gives children the assurance that they have their parents' support and that whatever they do or experience are felt, seen and known; their parents acknowledge all of these, as per Good Therapy. Helicopter parenting keeps a sense of connectedness between parents and children as well.
Such a positive relationship benefits children, which will help their success in the long run as adults. Once helicopter goes beyond extreme measures, however, then that's when it becomes bad parenting.
Do you agree with what these parents say about the good side of helicopter parenting? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.
