This generation of young people have discovered that being present as a parent is important to really nurture a child to shape them into the best that they can be. But this generation has also taken active parenting to new competitive heights.
And some parents have the idea that if one thing is working in their parenting styles, more of it must be better. This is where helicopter parenting comes in, because in fact, more isn’t always better.
Felicia Desousa is just one of many that has experienced first hand over protective parenting.
“I remember one time I was out with my friends at a rec centre, and I ran into my step dad, he took my phone out of my hands and just went through all my texts in front of everyone and I couldn’t say anything because he’s my parent, so I just let it happen.”
She claims that because of her European background, she had a tougher upbringing then most of her friends
“I feel like maybe they were like that from growing up Portuguese and with that European background, I feel like that was definitely a thing with most European families a lot of them are super strict, so they grew up with that and I guess they put it forth onto their kids”
This type of parenting style is a notch under what 40 year old Lisa Reale had to deal with growing up, being very limited to do anything that involved leaving the house, where as Felicias parents still let her do most things but had to be well supervised.
“I wasn’t allowed to go to parties that was a big no, I wasn’t allowed to go to my boyfriends house, I wasn’t even allowed to go to family events with my boyfriend”
Lisa explains why her parents restricted her for so many years
“They were more about instilling fear in me, that was their way of getting me not to do something.” Lisa continues “i remember one time my dad told me that if I ever got pregnant he would kick me out of the house, so that was his way of instilling fear in me to not pregnant.”
She claims that this type of parenting may have not benefited her then, but it has definitely taught her not to to treat her three kids the same way
“I wouldn’t say i’m over protective, I would say that I like to instill boundaries in my kids, and make sure they know the consequences of their actions instead of instilling fear in them.”
Lisa explains why the parenting she received growing up wouldn’t be acceptable today
“Kids are different in todays day and age I don’t think you can parent that way anymore, because I just think kids aren’t as fearful as I was or my generation was”
Parenting styles have drastically changed over the years, going from being restricted from basic childhood activites, to now being more lenient with doing things but with a parent watching over your shoulder – or as some would call it, a helicopter hovering over your every move
