The chances are that you have heard the phrase helicopter parent many times. Helicopter parenting means being too involved in all aspects of your children’s lives. Experts at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery describe this kind of parenting as an overprotective manner of raising children. The mode of parenting can hurt your teen’s present and future life, especially if you do not consider an adolescent treatment program. To learn more, reach out to Foothills at Red Oak today at 866.300.5275.
How Helicopter Parents Hurt Teens
Overprotective parents can be helpful to their children in the short-term. You behave like a personal caretaker who assists in everything, from eating to homework. You are always ready to rescue and confirm they are okay.
Adolescents with 24-hour support are more likely to accomplish their goals fast when competing against others with less of such care. However, the overprotecting style of parenting teens has undesirable effects on the child in the long run. Your child will soon lose that competitive advantage over time.
Some experts advise parents to teach their children independent living and instill positive concepts earlier in life. They add that you need to help your kids develop social skills and show them how to independently explore the world.
Effects of Helicopter Style of Parenting Teens
Research on the effects of this kind of parenting on teens reveals several problems that can arise. The main disadvantage of being a helicopter parent is that it backfires. The message your teens get is that you do not believe they can accomplish any task with distinction on their own. It leads to a lack of self-confidence.
If you are always there to make tidy the situation when your adolescent messes up or prevent it from happening, your child misses the opportunity to learn coping with life disappointments, failures, and grief. The teen will feel less capable of handling the pressures of life alone.
A helicopter teen lacks skills to manage negative emotions. When they feel unhappy, their parents warm them up. When they experience stressful situations, their parents are there to bail them out. Helicopter parenting is associated with increased anxiety and depression levels in children. Such teens lack essential coping skills for life.
Helicopter children are more likely to imagine they are unique. They demand things because they think they can always get their way. Such individuals can behave as if they are the center of the universe.
Teenagers who have always had their parents adjust their social, athletic, and academic lives might develop the habit of having their way. Therefore, they cultivate a sense of entitlement to things. It leads to severe disappointment and ongoing emotional trauma in their future lives.
Ask yourself: Are you always tying shoes, doing dishes, packing lunches, spreading the beds, and choosing friends, even when your teenager is physically and intellectually capable of performing these tasks? If so, you deny the teen the chance to master these abilities and skills.
Helping Your Teen Suffering from a Mental Condition
If your teenager is grappling with a mental disorder, a rehab professional can offer much-needed help. In a resident or outpatient program, you can access various science-based therapies, such as:
- Holistic healing program
- Trauma treatment program
- Gaming addiction treatment program
- Smartphone addiction treatment program
- Disordered eating treatment program
- Co-occurring issues treatment program
- Substance abuse treatment program
Contact Foothills at Red Oak Recovery for Advice on Raising Teens
Avoid limiting your teens’ lives by always hovering over them. Our rehab professionals can help you overcome your helicopter parenting situation and create an environment for your teen to grow in which they feel independent while also being supported by you. Contact Foothills at Red Oak Recovery at 866.300.5275 today for more details.
