Are you a parent? If you not, then this may not be as easy to relate to. As many parents figure out after they have their first child, every single person in the universe has their own opinion for how you should raise your child. From your mother, father, family, friends, and co-workers, each person will tell you how to best do what you are doing. They are probably not going to be around for the sleepless nights and constant attention. Rather, they swoop in out of no where to offer their advice.
While every person may offer their advice, few have the right to tell you how to parent. Parenting is not something you go into already knowing how to do it, but rather is a learning experience that people get better at with time.
When it comes to parenting, there is a particular kind of parental behavior that has been making the news. Known as helicopter parents, the name is given to parents who closely watch over the lives of their children, even into adulthood. Let’s take a look at this expanding trend and shed some light on this growing meme. With any luck, we will use helicopter parent statistics to better understand how many parents are actually helicopter parents.
The Benefit of Helicopter Parenting and Helicopter Parents Statistics
Helicopter parent statistics can show us some interesting trends on the state level that seem to suggest that helicopter parenting is a benefit. When looking at a self reported map that showed what percentage of parent’s considered themselves ‘helicopter parents,’ a trend appears. The majority of the ‘helicopter parents’ appear in north east states as well as along the west coast. In addition, there is a larger percentage per population in urban settings. When comparing this map to the child injury and death rate per state, they match up. The states with the lowest injury and death rates are those with the greatest number of helicopter parents. Those states, like Louisiana, Alabama, Alaska, Montana, and Wyoming who have the least number of reported helicopter parents also have the highest rates of child injury and death. Though far from conclusive, it does offer an interesting look into how helicopter parents may not be entirely bad.
The Side Effects of Helicopter Parenting and Helicopter Parents Statistics
The helicopter parent is considered generally bad by society for a reason. That reason is that the child doesn’t grow into an adult when they have a parent solving all of their problems. The argument for helicopter parents is that with the world as challenging as it is, it is only right for a parent to work towards the success of their child at all times. However, with parental motivation comes extrinsic reward structures, which are ultimately bad for people. People can be motivated through either extrinsic or intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation is what happens when a parent steers your life. You have direction, but you may not have drive. On the other hand, intrinsic motivation is what makes individuals excel in their given field. It is the intense, personal desire to work towards a goal for the sake of self-fulfillment. Intrinsic motivation is more powerful and healthy then extrinsic motivation, and has been shown to be the leading reason why truly spectacular people made a name for themselves. No amount of helicopter parenting will lead to the same level of recognition, happiness, and fame.
The Helicopter Parent
Like the mythological Yeti or Lock Ness Monster, the helicopter parent is something more talked about then actually seen. The helicopter parent is described as a mother or father who is closely associated with the lives of their children. From solving problems for the child to guiding the child throughout life, the helicopter parent has inserted himself/herself into the lives of their children.
The Origin of the Helicopter Parent
The helicopter parent originated during the Millennial Generation. Individuals at schools, college universities, and summer camps began noticing a trend in parenting style. Whereas the previous generation was more hands off with their children, the parents of millennials were overly active in their children’s lives. This would go so far as parents waking up their children for classes at college and contacting the professors in person if their children were not doing as well as expected.
Since then, helicopter parents have been extensively written about and studied. It has become a trope in American living, and is often associated with a number of positive and negative side effects for the children.
When it comes to parenting your children, no one has the right to tell you what to do. Instead, go with what you think is best, ask for help when you need it, and try your best. Until then, good luck.