Helicopter parents beware: your behavior will possibly hurt your kid in the long run irrespective of your intentions. This is what was found in a recent study done at Brigham Young University. Those parents who consider being over-protective as a form of positive parenting must continue reading.

Helicopter Parenting Negatively Affect Parent-Child Relationship

Asking too many questions the minute your child enters the house, forcing him to complete his homework, following his every move, checking his mobile phone, imposing your decisions in everything he does from selecting clothes to selecting college courses must be avoided. These little things that you do with the intention of making him successful and well-disciplined will only instill uncertainty and anger in him. This could eventually lead to rebellion and straining of relationship, with the child preferring to stay as far from you as possible.

Kids Become Dependant on Parents

The bitter reality of life is that we, the parents, will not live with kids forever. Therefore, we should make them independent, not dependant. We should teach them to survive every difficult situation on their own instead of waiting for us to help them. This is something all parents, especially helicopter parents must understand.

Being Over-Protective Spoils Kids

When teens know that you will protect them no matter how serious the situation is, then they will never think twice before being reckless and doing things like drinking and driving, taking drugs, bunking college, partying all night, etc. You need to take a firm action in order to discourage such behavior. The next time your kid misbehaves in school, comes home late at night, or gets poor grades, then you should punish him or investigate the matter. Kids must learn to be accountable for all their actions. This is an important lesson they need to learn before entering professional life.

Failure to Face Life Challenges

Parents protect kids even if the latter is at fault. This over-protective behavior makes the child so fragile that he struggles to face even the day-to-day life challenges. Kids of helicopter parents do not have the ability to manage anger, failure, depression, financial loss, disappointment throughout their life. In other words, little things bother them a lot.

Low Self-Esteem among Kids

How can you expect your kid to be confident when you never let him take any decision? Helicopter parenting results in low self-esteem among kids. Doing everything for him and protecting him in every situation gives him a signal that he is not strong or smart enough to handle these situations. Kids tend to learn by accepting challenges and facing problems.

Excess of Everything is Bad

Excess of everything is bad, and this includes love, protection or care. Helping a kid is not always helpful as it affects his natural learning process. Being protective is okay, but overdoing it can backfire. Sometimes it is better to let the kid face the situation and find relevant solution himself. Every bad experience he goes through makes him stronger.

Parents over-protect and over-control kids out of love. What they don’t understand is that facing challenges, disappointments and rejections are also a part of life, and that experiences teach them to be strong, confident and self-sufficient.