The evolution of the helicopter parent

1. How mobile tracking ruins parent child relationships
The Evolution of the Helicopter
Parent

2. A helicopter parent is
known as a parent
who takes an overprotective
or excessive interest in their
child's life. With the new era
of location tracking devices
it makes it easy for these
parents to hover even more.

3. Child tracking devices are built around parents anxieties [1]. They
provide a peace of mind to parents rather than actually monitoring
kids safety. This leads to a controlling environment where their
children have no freedom, independence, and no trust.

4. There are many different devices to location track. Like the mobile app Life360,
which is a family tracking app thats has gained 50 million users since 2009. Find
my Friends, a location tracking apps for iphone users. The Air Cover Family app
which allows parents to create invisible boundaries for their children.

5. Even children too young for a smartphone are being tracked. A 'Kizon'
is a smart watch for children that is considered, "a digital equivalent
of a leash for children" [2].

6. Constantly monitoring children
makes it harder for the children to
learn independence and self
sufficiency by:
1. Doing for children what they can
do for themselves
2. Doing for children what they can
almost do for themselves
3. Making parenting decisions based
on your ego [4]

7. 68%OF PARENTS
Track their children for safety reasons .
70 million people in North America and
Europe use people-tracking devices [1].
Parents are scared by stranger danger
online and in the real world. As 72% of
parents are concerned with their
children meeting strangers online [6].

8. It becomes a "burden of knowing" for parents. With parents constantly
tracking their childrens phones and whereabouts they end up learning
information about their children they didn't want to know about. An app
called pocket guardian even tracks children's text messages. If their message
content contains bullying, sexting or explict messages the parent gets
notified. [spy apps]

9. Monitoring of children's activities becomes an issue of contextual privacy [5].
Children have the right to privacy and the use of mobile tracking and
monitoring constantly invades that. Kids feel like they are being intruded on
with the constant breach of privacy that has become the parenting norm [3].

10. Mobile monitoring
shows a lack of trust a
parent has for their
child. While parents
constantly ignoring
their children's privacy
leads to the child
having a lack of trust
for the parent.
For both parties the
monitoring of
technology creates
trust issues.

11. "Tracking my childs
activities would
only feed my
parental anxiety"
"It might be hard for
parents to accept,
but kids need to
make bad decisions
sometimes. How
else does a child
grow up, if not by
testing her own
decision-making
skills?"
- Amy Nugent [1]

12. Beverley Cathhart Ross, founder of the Parenting Network believes these
devices are sending the message to children,
"I don't have confidence in your ability to manage your own safety" [1].

13. 95%OF COLLEGE COUNSELLING
CENTERS
across the nation reported that
they are concerned with the
growing amount of psychological
issues related to helicopter
parenting. Out of the students
surveyed 84% felt overwhelmed by
responsibilities [4].
60%OF STUDENTS
felt sad. While 57% felt lonely and
51% felt anxious. With parents
perviously controlling these
college students lives they are
unable to be independent [4].

14. A study by Springer
Science and Business
Media New York
found that college
students with
helicopter parents
have lower levels of
phycological well
being and a less
satisfied family life
[8].

15. Helicopter parents children have higher
levels of depression and less satisfaction with
life.
The study considers this a violation of
students basic psychological needs for
autonomy and competence.
[8]

16. Due to children's lives
being constantly
monitored and controlled
these children become
dependent on their
parents. Once older they
are unable to leave home
when the time comes.
Studies show helicopter
parents create children
who are anxious, self-
conscious, vulnerable,
neurotic and less open.
[7]

17. Parents shouldn't let their own fears interfere with children's ability to learn.
Children need to learn to make decisions on their own. Only a healthy trusting
relationship will keep kids from harm [1].

18. References
[1] Albino, M. (2017, May 04). GPS-tracking apps: Helicopter parenting or smart
solution? Retrieved June 02, 2017, from https://www.todaysparent.com/family/gps-
tracking-kids/
[2] Dickson, E. (2017, March 08). Introducing the Kizon, the ultimate wearable for
helicopter parents. Retrieved June 02, 2017, from
https://www.dailydot.com/debug/kid-tracking-wearable-kizon/
[3] Don’t Post About Me on Social Media, Children Say. (2016, March 8). Retrieved
June 2, 2017, from https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/03/08/dont-post-about-me-
on-social-media-children-say/?_r=1
[4] Helicopter Parenting - Statistics Show You Need To Let Your Child Be Free. (2015,
December 02). Retrieved June 02, 2017, from https://www.davidwolfe.com/the-
damaging-effects-of-helicopter-parenting/
[5] Matrix , S. (Writer). (n.d.). Module 03: Mobile Technologies [Video file]. Retrieved
June 2, 2017, from
https://onq.queensu.ca/d2l/le/content/117252/viewContent/937228/View

19. References Continued
[6] Paul, P. (2013, May 5). Cyberparenting and the Risk of T.M.I. Retrieved June 2,
2017, from http://go.galegroup.com.proxy.queensu.ca/ps/i.do?
id=GALE%7CA328694536&v=2.1&u=queensulaw&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=ed444
bf722dd554a00a728a96a4737f2
[7] Rettner, R. (2010, June 03). 'Helicopter' Parents Have Neurotic Kids, Study
Suggests. Retrieved June 02, 2017, from http://www.livescience.com/10663-
helicopter-parents-neurotic-kids-study-suggests.html
[8] Schiffrin, H. H., Liss, M., Miles-McLean, H., Geary, K. A., Erchull, M. J., & Tashner, T.
(2013, February 09). Helping or Hovering? The Effects of Helicopter Parenting on
College Students' Well-Being. Retrieved June 02, 2017, from
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10826-013-9716-3