When your baby gets hurt, it would seem like a parent gets hurt as well. When a child feels lonely or sad, a parent's immediate response would be to make them feel happy.
What about when they are bored? A parent's mind is full of worries for the child. But, while there are short-term benefits to overprotective parenting, how about the long-term effects?
Researchers from the Florida State University revealed the long-term impact of overprotective parenting on physical and mental health of such children.
Health Takes a Back Seat
Kids of helicopter parents do not learn to care for their bodies without being told, INC reported. They have been used to being told when to exercise, reminded over and over when to take vitamins, and so on.
While helicopter kids may be healthy in their childhood, health does not continue to become their priority or responsibility well after they are independent from their parents.
As adults, such children have been observed having trouble keeping their health in check. Mom, dad, or their guardian always worried about that for them that they never learned to worry for their health themselves.
They do not even learn to keep their living space clean. Children of overprotective parents often have no chores or responsibility as kids, Very Well Family revealed.
Chronic Disappointment due to Feeling of Entitlement
Parents want to make their children feel special as if such kids should not feel left out, disappointed, or suffer in any way.
These children do not have responsibilities. They are used to getting what they want, and later this could lead to chronic disappointment, the researchers revealed.
Further, as adults they feel they are continuously going through a life full of suffering. They feel they are entitled to the best of the world, so when they realize it is not possible at all times and without their own hard work, they could feel disappointed and suffer because of this.
More Likely to Get Depression
With less satisfaction in life, helicopter kids can grow up with an increased tendency towards depression. When mommy and daddy are not there to keep them happy all the time, they crumble. They know not how to regulate their emotions having never learned how in their childhood.
Reliant on Medication
As they are at an increased risk of anxiety and depression, helicopter kids grow up not wanting any form of discomfort. Researchers from the University of Tennessee found that college students with hovering parents increased likelihood to take recreational pain pills, and medication for depression and anxiety.
They are unable to tolerate pain. So they will resolve to take medication all the time to resolve the pain in the now. In this way, immediate gratification from overprotective painting impacts adulthood.
Lack of Self-Discipline
As children, such kids had highly-structured schedules. Once they are free from overprotective parents, they throw every schedule out of the window.
A study from the University of Colorado revealed that helicopter kids grow up with mental control issues and less motivation to succeed. They lack skills needed to reach goals, because well their parents did all the goal-setting and mapping out all plans.
