As a parent,
we take all possible courses to warrant affection from our children, but how often
do we allow ourselves to be delighted seeing them – trying and failing – like
we did when they took their first step. Of course, it’s hard to see them fall, however,
in the rigmarole of our parenthood, we’ve forgotten that every other skill in
life is developed the similar way.
Well, blame
it to the social shift of unreasonable anxiety that followed the era of
irrational exuberance in the late 1980s and an increased child endangerment— a
perception, that rose with the diminishing prospects of their parents in an
economy marked by jobless recovery
and rising child poverty; a helicoptered child is easily sheltered, saving
the parents from social disgrace and shame.
Though helicoptering
as a mean has its perk, and seems to work in giving direction and achieve better
grades. However, the long-term implication is vile, as children start – lacking
agency, be accountable for their outcomes or take charge of their life –resulting
in a generation which is always stressed
out and can’t function alone, which is not good at a societal level and engenders
a crisis in leadership at a place
where adult-style behaviour is crucial
for future success.
The generation
of helicoptered children first bloomed among the middle-to-upper class parents
who were desperate to maintain the status quo and the best way to accomplish this
was to price out in a way that seemed meritocratic and education became the key
which soon translated into the rise of ‘exorbitant higher education’ – prep
classes, expensive extra-curriculars followed by rigid kids schedule and vigilant
parenting. Permissive parenting became
less appealing as the risks were high.
In situations
of such, a society breeds fear. Kids should be able to make their own mistakes
growing up. “Life is about having the confidence to get on the right path if you’re
walking the wrong way; to get back up when you fall down”.
Well, parents
love no doubt and loving by the means of helicoptering is an inadequate defense
mechanism against the unyielding future. However, paradoxical as it may sound:
‘Our job as a parent should be to put ourselves
out of this job’.
