Over the past few years, I've simplified my theory of helicopter parenting to this -
"Helicopter parenting is what happens when Generation X has children."
Many of the defining moments/themes of Gen X were steeped in danger, darkness, or loneliness -- the advent of AIDS, the Cold War, the Challenger explosion, "latchkey" children, etc. When Hope and Fear Collide by Arthur Levine and Jeanette Cureton is a really good book that talks about how those moments impacted Gen X'ers as college students. It seems completely logical to me that we've seen an increase in the number of parents who want to hold on a little longer and have more oversight in their childrens' lives after living through the previously mentioned things. Some parents find a healthy balance naturally, and some find it when they're forced to. I agree with other posters, though, that eventually the pendulum will swing back in the other direction.
Last edited by Diamondblue; 06/14/13 08:05 AM. Reason: The book title wasn't italicized! Eek!
