Helicopter Parenting - Statistics Show You Need To Let Your Child Be Free

While always hovering over your kids might seem like deep love and natural protective instincts, it can actually create lasting problems for your children. Helicopter parenting is rising as a parenting style, as more and more parents have a harder time allowing their children to learn independence and self-sufficiency. Image: Wikipedia At least that is what Dr. Jesse Viner and Matt Zajechowski of Yellowbrick, a psychology, and treatment program for young adults, have found through research they've conducted. In the research, presented in this infographic, they define a 'helicopter parent' as a parent who hovers closely over their children, always keeping them within an arm's reach, figuratively and literally. Helicopter parenting is believed to revolve around three primary behaviors:

1. Doing for children what they can do for themselves.
2. Doing for children what they can almostdo for themselves.
3. Making parenting decisions based on your ego.

The phrase, originating in 1969, became popular when Generation X parents began sending their kids off to school, where an estimated 60% of parents stayed helicopter parents according to Yellowbrick's research. 95% of college counseling centers across the nation reported that they are concerned with the growing amount of psychological issues that they are seeing students enter college with, due to helicopter parenting. Out of 100,000 college students that were surveyed, the following percentages found themselves facing the following difficulties:

• 84% felt overwhelmed by responsibilities
• 60.5% felt quite sad
• 57% felt lonely
• 51% felt anxious
• 4% considered suicide seriously at some point

Have a look at the infographic, linked again here, for even more alarming statistics and facts regarding helicopter parenting. (h/t Spirit Science)