Two Articles on the Dangers of "Over-Parenting"

Two Articles on the "Dangers of Over-Parenting"

http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/26/18469581-helping-or-hovering-when-helicopter-parenting-backfires?lite 

http://uanews.org/story/the-dangers-of-overparenting


A colleague shared these two related articles with me recently.  We've all, of course, heard horror stories of "helicopter parents" who are eager to swoop in and smooth any bump in the road that arises for their children.  This is among the first studies I'm aware of that attempts to look objectively at this phenomenon and its implications for the children involved.

The issue, of course, is far more nuanced than it is usually portrayed.  Parents who might be considered over-involved are not oblivious monsters, nor are they intending to stunt the development of their children.  Most of us as parents are simply trying to do the best we can to help our children realize their potential and go on to live meaningful lives.  But parenting is a relentlessly humbling experience, and it's worthwhile to consider the impact of even the most well-intentioned methods.

In the end, there are no easy answers to the question of what level of involvement constitutes excessive and potentially damaging parenting.  Studies and articles like these are useful prompts to parents' thinking about how we each approach the strenuous and rewarding work of making ourselves obsolete to our children.