Newswise — Much attention has been given recently to "helicopter parents" so named because of their tendency to hover overhead of their children. Parents often take exception to that characterization. "When I hear that term, I resent that it's used to describe our generation," commented one parent during freshman orientation at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia this summer.
Cary Anderson, Ed.D., the University's vice president of student life, explained that helicopter parenting isn't always a negative thing - it just depends on the helicopter.
Dr. Anderson says there is more to helicopter parenting than the stories of parents arguing with college professors over grades, or calling potential employers to convince them on why they should hire their young adult. "Helicopter parents are ultimately concerned about their children," says Dr. Anderson. "In my experience, this concern manifests itself in three different ways."
The Gunship Helicopter: This type of parent swoops down and fights battles for their young adult. This is typically the helicopter parent that school administrators and employers find the least helpful.
The Traffic Helicopter: This parent provides guidance for their young adult, and helps direct them to make appropriate decisions throughout their lives. The difference between this helicopter and the gunship helicopter is that the traffic helicopter ultimately allows the student to drive their own journey.
The Rescue Helicopter: The function of this kind of parent is to either pull their young adult out of a crisis situation and bring them to safety, or bring supplies to help get them back on their feet. Why is helicopter parenting becoming such an epidemic among baby boomers? Some say its the logical next step for a generation of students who rely on their parents for advice and who actually listen to them compared to the way their own parents rebelled in their teens and early twenties. Of course, its when parents hinder a young adults ability to learn and become self-sufficient, Dr. Anderson says, that helicopter parenting becomes a problem.
RSS