Helicopter Parents: Why Their Children Achieve Excellence

So-called helicopter parents have not been treated well in recent years. They would spoil their children too much, do too much for them and give them too little freedom. The future for children of helicopter parents was painted as dark and dependent.

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But as controversial and negative as this overprotective parenting style is viewed, it seems to have anything but a negative impact on the children. Science now wants to have determined this.

Being helicoptered makes you successful

In ihrem Buch „Love, Money and Parenting: How Economics Explains the Way We Raise Our Kids“ (order here from Amazon)* describe Dr. Matthias Doepke, Professor of Economics, and Dr. Fabrizio Zilibotti from Yale University shows that children of helicopter parents are quite successful. And even more so than children who are raised differently.

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The two scientists didn't just come up with this thesis, but based it on data. To do this, they examined performance tests of 15-year-olds from all over the world. They then compared how parents and children rated their relationship with each other and related the whole thing to the performance tests.

The result: The more parents interfered in their children's educational lives and circled around them like a helicopter, the more successful the children's tests were. This became particularly clear when the two scientists looked at tests of children from the same social environment. Here the children of helicopter parents were ahead.

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Authoritative parenting method particularly effective

The two scientists attest that parenting was particularly successful to parents who used so-called 'authoritative' parenting. It is characterized by clear rules and boundaries, which lead to consequences if they are not followed. At the same time, authoritative parents are caring, loving and supportive.

What is also characteristic of this parenting style is that the parents do not patronize their children, as one might expect from 'classic' helicopter parents. Rather, authoritative helicopter parents convince their child to do certain things that are to their advantage. This in turn conveys to the child that they have made their own decisions, which ultimately turn out to be positive. This strengthens children's self-confidence and self-confidence enormously.

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Authoritative parenting makes you successful

In their research, scientists Doepke and Zilibotti also took a closer look at the data sets of American teenagers and their parents. It was found that children who were brought up in an authoritative manner were more likely than average to achieve university degrees. In addition, the parenting style would ensure that children are less likely to take drugs, smoke or drink alcohol. These children would also wait longer to have sex and if they had sex, it would certainly be with condoms.

Important note at the end:How someone raises their children is a very personal decision. As a rule, there is no right or wrong as long as children can develop freely and carefree. So don't let anyone tell you what to do and what not to do. As long as your parenting style works for your family and everyone is healthy and happy, it is the right one.