Dennis Prager argues helicopter parenting harms both parents and children by consuming their entire lives. He says adults who grew up this way often avoid having kids themselves, fearing the same all-consuming commitment. Earlier generations treated parenting as one part of life, not the whole thing.
Helicopter parents live under constant stress. Am I doting on my child enough? Helicopter parent is horrible for the child and horrible for the parent. There's nothing redeeming about the preoccupation with your child. You love your child, you set standards for your child, you try to be a good model of a good life for your child, and live a life. One of the reasons people who, who had helicopter parents, so many are choosing not to have children, is they think that having a child eats up your life. Because generations of parents since World War II have in fact had their lives eaten up by being parents. That is not your whole life. It's part of your life. In the past, it was a small part of parents' lives. There were certain rules in the house, and that was it.
Life, Legacy, and a Dangerous Mission in the Soviet Union | Sunday Fireside Chat
