I touched a nerve with a comment I made about helicopter parenting the other day. It wasn’t meant to make some parents feel guilty about their parenting style! But I think we all do better when we know better.
A helicopter parent (also called a cosseting parent or simply a cosseter) is a term for a parent who is overattentive and overly fearful of a child's experiences and problems, particularly outside the home and at educational institutions. Helicopter parents are so named because, like helicopters, they "hover overhead", overseeing every aspect of their child's life. A helicopter parent is also known to strictly supervise their children in all aspects of their lives, including in social interactions. (source)
The funny thing is, this issue doesn’t just happen with parenting. I see it with friendships, management, and leadership, too.
We want the best for someone.
We want to help.
We don’t want them to get hurt or suffer.
But growth comes from stress. Let me explain — since people sometimes misunderstand it when I use the word “stress.”
I don’t mean the unending anxiety that comes from unrelenting stress in work and life. I’m referring more to the scientific use of the word that means a challenge that forces someone to adapt and grow.
Stressing your body with exercise to get stronger.
Stressing your mind with cognitive challenges to keep your mind vibrant.
Stressing yourself with new things to learn and adapt and become your best self.
Helicopter parenting (or management) denies people the chance to try, learn, and fail. Yes, life is like that! Failure will happen, and you cannot and should not shield someone from all failure. We learn valuable lessons from failure, even though it’s unpleasant.
Note: I’m not saying you should be totally hands off, either. People need guidance and mentoring, and you should protect them from terrible things and catastrophic failure.
Be a safety net, not a fence that stands between them and growth.
By the way, I’m hosting this 2-hour job search workshop on April 1st.
➡️ “Find a Better Job Using 3 Essential Job Search Strategies”
The price for the workshop goes up again next week. So, if you're interested in joining us, grab a ticket now.
⏰ This is the last time I will host my Invincible Career Job Search workshop this year. I won't offer it again until 2025! So, join us now or wait until then.
Note: I record video of myself and the presentation, which I share with all the attendees after the workshop. So, if the time doesn’t work for you to join us live, you will have the homework document and the video material to use later, just like a course.
I’m Larry Cornett, a Freedom Coach who can work with you to optimize your career, business, and life. My mission is to help you take complete control of your work and life so you can become a more “Invincible You.” I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane.