Effective Principals 2020 | Dr. Vidya Sravanthi, Founder and Principal of Reqelford International School
What are your thoughts on helicopter parenting, especially in India’s context? Do you think it makes children more dependent and worse, stunt personality growth of children and young adults?
Most parents are under the assumption that their children have the potential and talent that they themselves possess and hope that their children will fulfil the dreams they have set for themselves.
Though parents are aware of positive parenting philosophy which encourages parents to catch them when they are young and nurture their innate capacities, most often parents tend to become over protective and interfere in every aspect of the child’s life.
This generally makes a child more dependent and hinders their healthy development. Good parenting involves a style that considers children’s age and stage of development.
Helicopter parenting refers to “a style of parents who are overly focused on their children”, says Carolyn Daitch, director of the Center for the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders.
Unfortunately, such children live under great stress, lack of confidence and fear of failure.
These children are usually never taught to learn independently and experience depression and feel a sense of low esteem as they may not be able to reach the “perfection” level that their parents have set for them.
Most often, parents who indulge in such close monitoring of their children have good intensions, but unfortunately it generally leads to greater levels of stress and anxiety both for child as well as for the parent.
A child needs a good self-concept and a positive attitude and at the same time a happy home where he feels safe and supported to develop his physical, intellectual and moral strength.
The learning styles of children changes as they mature. Parents also need to make an effort to teach children to take risks.
School life offers healthy interactions with their peers and teachers, beyond the classroom learning.
A well-designed curriculum fosters original thinking and encourages experiential learning.
Both school and home serve the purpose of guiding and nurturing children. Today’s parent needs to watch over his child’s use of technology as well.
Disciplining a child to control his emotions and desires, by restricting over-indulgence and impulsive behaviour will help the child cultivate self-checking from his/her mistakes and progress at his/her own speed.
Parents must, however, be their children’s advocates. If a child is experiencing difficulty at school, or with his peers, it is important that parent makes an effort to understand, assess the issue and deal with the problem.
Because each child is unique, the parent’s role in strengthening self-concept varies from child to child.
Understanding capabilities and limitations of his child, helps parents provide appropriate experiences and create realistic expectations.
In conclusion, every parent should desire to help his/her child learn to think creatively and critically, to exercise his intellect, and very importantly, to enjoy the process.
Dr. Vidya Sravanthi,
M.A., M.Ed, Phd.
Founder and Principal, Reqelford International School,
Hyderabad, Telangana.
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