Books About Helicopter Parents

Are helicopter parents -- parents who hover over their children, watching their every move and guiding their hand throughout grade school and into college and the work force -- producing a generation of kids unable to think and act on their own? Books on the subject fuel the debate.

  1. Parenting Styles

    • ̶0;Helicopters, Drill Sergeants & Consultants: Parenting Styles and the Messages They Send,̶1; by Jim Fay, discusses several parenting styles. This book is one of the Love and Logic series, which teaches parents to teach their children how to make wise decisions. The series focuses on helping children live with the consequences of their actions and teaching them not to blame others for their problems.

    The Well-Educated Helicopter Parent

    • ̶0;Parenting Out of Control: Anxious Parents in Uncertain Times,̶1; by Margaret K. Nelson, is based on interviews with parents nationwide. Nelson describes parenting styles as they differ within and across class lines, and discusses how technology affects modern parenting. She explains why educated and affluent parents find it difficult to set and enforce boundaries for their children, and describes strategies they can use to ensure their children become independent.

    Too Young to Fail?

    • ̶0;A Nation of Wimps: The High Cost of Invasive Parenting,̶1; by Hara Estroff Marano, opines that today̵7;s children cannot make decisions or cope with rejection, and they lack leadership skills. Marano theorizes that by trying to protect their children from the disappointments and setbacks in daily life, they have left them unable to fend for themselves. She describes how parents must allow their children to fail in order for them to learn critical thinking skills and coping techniques.

    Helicopter Parents and College

    • ̶0;The Helicopter Parents Guide to Surviving Senior Year,̶1; by Yvette Sams, is a guide to the college application process for parents. While it addresses the fact that helicopter parents are likely to want to do everything for their child, it cautions parents to maintain their role as advisers and mentors, reminding and encouraging rather than doing. Parents who did not go to college themselves, or who come from another country where the process is different, will find this book particularly helpful. ̶0;Academic Advisors and Helicopter Parents: How Academic Advisors Perceive the Role and Influence of Heavily Involved Parent,̶1; by Julian Parrott, is a case study by an academic affairs administrator at the University of Illinois. This books discusses the perceptions of advisers on the unprecedented levels of parental involvement now seen, and the correlation between helicopter parents and student success.

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