What defines a helicopter parent?

[ForeverRoses]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Just a thought - do you think smaller family size and fertility issues might be behind the helicopter phenomena?

Of course larger families cherish and love every child - but from a logistical standpoint, it would be far more difficult to helicopter 3 or more than it would be to do it to 1 or 2. Also, I think larger families require a higher level of child participation in the running of the household in most cases - that much laundry means the children learn early to do it, for example. (ETA- and of course, there are large families that helicopter, and singleton families that are not helicoptering - I'm making a general statement)

I bring up the fertility issue because I can see how going through all the pain, stress and economic issues to have a child might skew your thinking. The same thing with adoption - the process itself is so stressful that it might have an effect.

I think you might be on to something. I think SOMETIMES divorce/single parenthood brings out heliparentitis. A single parent becomes so attached to a child that they have trouble letting go because they don't want to be alone. And the child is so used to the attention that they don't understand why they aren't "special" to everyone else in the world.

[33girl]

I don't know. I am an only kid, of older parents, but they were more overprotective than helicoptering. IMO 2 different things. I wasn't allowed to get my ears pierced, to ride a skateboard, to do some of the things the kids in my neighborhood did. Then again, I don't know anymore how much was my parents & how much was just me not being asked.

GP's story reminded me of something my mom told me when she came back from 7th grade open house. My friend D and I were both in "enrichment class" for brighter students in 5th/6th grade and our moms became good buds. Well get to jr high, everyone was asking questions and D's mom said "is this an accelerated class?" My mom said she was so embarrassed she wanted to fall through the floor.

Oh and t*p brought up a REALLY good point about the "everyone gets a trophy" bullshit. I got one trophy when I won a poster contest and STILL am proud of it. When that kind of reward is everyday, I don't know how you can cope with losing anything.