Table of Contents
Introduction
This essay looks at helicopter and permissive parenting while making an argument which is the better style of parenting. The essay will rely on articles and books on the topic as sources of information.
Analysis
Helicopter style of parenting involves a parent paying close attention to their child’s life especially in matters education.The term helicopter was used to refer to this type of parenting because helicopters usually hover overhead, in this case a parent who overseas their children affairs. (Marotz, 2017).On the other hand, permissive parenting is the style of parenting in which parents have low demands but have a high repsosniveness. This type of parents loves but in essence tends to provide fewer rules to their children.
Helicopter parenting has some negative effects as it leads to anxiety for the child. This type of parenting fails to teach children ways to think on their own and are unable make good decisions when faced with uncertainty. (Trainor, 2016, March 7).
As opposed to helicopter parenting, permissive parents do not hover on their children and are mostly lax. They know that children must be left to be children. Therefore they don’t necessarily make any structure to discipline children or control them. However most children who have permissive parents tend to have difficulty dealing with self control and self regulation. Most children who have permissive parents tend to have or display low achievements in their lives. They tend to have a low emotional understanding and may be prone to substance abuse or delinquency. (Bahr & Hoffmann, 2010).
Helicopter parenting has its flaws but is much better than permissive parenting. Helicopter parenting helps children to feel supported and have a sense of security. In this age adults depend on their parents for financial and emotional help which helps them to grow without pressures and any dangers. Most research show that the brain fully matures until mid to late 20s. Therefore having helicopter parents might help such young adults at that particular time age bracket. (Kohn, 2016).
Kids who have helicopter parents feel more connected and have a high sense of community. Also such kids have been exposed to everything and therefore they are able to make better career choices in life. Kids have a better understanding of who they are since they have tried many things which their parents have instilled in them and have ensured they have attained many skills. This means that such kids have attained skills such as sports, chess clubs or music lessons. Therefore they have helpful information and may end up also passing the same values to the next generation of children. (Marotz, 2017)
In this age, people are worried about how technology has created isolation and distance in society. Therefore such parenting creates conversations and form connections and therefore this style of parenting create an antidote to loneliness and isolation which is characterized by this digital age.
In conclusion, helicopter parenting yield better results for the child than permissive parenting.
- Bahr, S. K. & Hoffmann, J. P. (2010). Parenting style, religiosity, peers, and adolescent heavy drinking. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs 2010: 71: 539-543
- Kohn, A. (2016). The myth of the spoiled child: Coddled kids, helicopter parents, and other phony crises.
- Marotz, L. R. (2017). Parenting today’s children: A developmental prospective. S.l.: Wadsworth.
- Trainor, J, (2016, March 7), Does Helicopter Parenting Harm Kids’ Ability to Think for Themselves? Retrieved from https://medium.com/@jstrainor/lythcott-haims-book-led-me-to-terry-castle-2012-essay-that-5732281d6ce1#.sferkci8