Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Helicopter Parenting in the Age of Fear

What kind of parent we become often relates back to the experiences we had as a child. Writer Kelly Wallace's article for CNN, From 80's latchkey kid to helicopter parent today, asks other writers about their experiences both as children and parents. Why do we parent differently? Has the world become a more fearful place to live in or is the constant influx of news contributing to our parenting style? What stands out most in her article is the recounting of how lonely being a latchkey kid felt for some of the parents and how this isolation has impacted some of their parenting decisions. One mother recounts how, while she wants her children to learn how to be self-sufficient and independent, she doesn't want them to come home to an empty house after school because she remembers how isolated and disconnected she felt. So maybe too many decisions are falling under the umbrella of helicopter parenting - there is a difference between wanting our children to feel connected to others rather than the TV and doing so much for our children that they can't take care of themselves as adults.