First off, there are some commonly held beliefs in society regarding what it means for a parent to be “overprotective.”Often, sometimes people use this phrase as shorthand for being overly worried or anxious about their child. But actually, an overprotective parent goes beyond worrying and instead focuses more on having an intense influence on their child’s choices in life.
While some directions and rules are necessary for child development, because children need to be protected and guided, an overprotective parenting style might cause children to foster a rigid mindset that doesn’t allow them to develop self-sufficiency and independence at a young age.
Overprotective parents, who can also be known as helicopter parents, are more than just worriers. They attempt to control their child’s lives by attempting to influence even daily action’s in their child’s life. According to Jerry Jampolsky’s article for Psych Central, “Overprotection is excessive control by parents of what their children think, do, or experience.” He explains that authoritarian parents tend to believe they know what’s best for their kids, leading them to take control of their lives beyond what’s appropriate or helpful and can be best for the child themselves.