Generation Y: A dependent Generation Generation Y is consisted by persons who were born between 1978 and 1999. They have never known a world without remote controls, CDs, cable TV, and the computer. This generation is not all about politics or the economy; instead they are more involved in cell phones, scandals, drugs and the Internet. Millennial Generation is known as the digital generation, having grown up with access to the World Wide Web beginning in their early elementary school years; but, Millennials are also known for the relationship they have with their parents who have been named “Helicopter parents.” Millennials have become a controversial issue because they have been called entitled, lazy, and “The most high-maintenance workforce in the …show more content…
A childhood without a skinned knee? A student calling her mom at midnight over a term paper? A parent going with his son on a job interview? These scenarios are so common today that professionals working with Generation Y have to deal with. But, why helicopter parents are not seen as a good thing? To start with, we need to know that a helicopter parent is defined as a parent who takes an overprotective or excessive interest in the life of their child or children. That is why, many people claim that helicopter parents don’t let millennials to be independent, and that is why they are seen as a bad thing. Helicopter parents always want to make decisions on behalf of millennials, they want to interfere on millennials’ issues, and they don’t allow their children to make small errors which help a person to mature through experience. According to Kathryn Tyler, parents’ most important task is to help young people to become independent and autonomous; when we infantilize our young, we stifle their development. This what helicopter parents don’t
Since both authors can relate to both age groups, they have written this article to describe the reasons behind Gen Y’s characteristics and allow older generations a chance to understand their younger counterparts. The article is written not towards Gen Y but instead is written for their critics. Since the article allows readers inside the lives of Gen Y members, it is directed at people who do not already understand this generation and all it has to offer to the world. The authors’ knowledge of the criticisms that Gen Y faces allows them to portray their purpose to intended audiences. They do all of this while remaining mindful of older generations that work full time and live busy lives by breaking the article up with headings and subheadings that allow readers to read only sections at a
In the article “Helicopter Parents Now Hover at the Office,” The Wall Street Journal columnist Sue Shellenbarger reveals that some parents have begun to involve themselves into their adult children’s job search. Shellenbarger explains that many parent have a hard time watching their child struggle since they have taken part in their daily lives for so long. She then describes that some children do not appreciate the hovering of their parents because the hovering prevents them from developing self independence.
While her argument is strong in bringing valuable date of college students into place, there is no specific statistic on how many parents hover over their children; in fact, there might not be any way to measure how many parents are “helicopter parents.” There is a spectrum in Sociology that ranges from being permissive, authoritative, or authoritarian. A permissive parent is defined as being “nondemanding and noncontrolling” (University of New Hampshire). An authoritative is defined as being both “demanding and controlling, but they are also warm and receptive to their children’s needs.” while an authoritarian is considered to be “demanding and highly controlling, but detached and unreceptive to their children’s needs” (UNH). From Lythcott-Haims’ discussion about the girl having her father control her life including her major in economics, her father would probably be described as an authoritarian parent with him not letting her make her decisions. Even though this spectrum may bring a better idea on what kinds of parents are, it still doesn’t show numbers on how many parents fall into each category and that may because of how difficult it would be to fall into one parent style when it’s possible to fall in the middle of certain categories. Because of this, the number of helicopter parents might not be
Some of these parents are especially needy emotionally and they begin to ‘hover’ over their children in a way to fill that need. Helicopter parents spend majority of their time protecting and preventing children from making mistakes while other aspects of their lives is not covered. Marriages suffer because they is no time spent together as a couple and other children may also suffer jealousy and neglect due to hovering parenting. Social life crumble because parents are not spending time participating in activities outside of their normal life and routine.
Helicopter parenting is a phenomenon that has taken the United States by storm! This style of parenting raises children to be dependent on their parents well into their mature years. Julia Lynthcott- Haims explains the four main factors that are responsible for this shift in parenting and childhood in the excerpt “The Four Cultural Shifts that Led to the Rise of the Helicopter Parent” in her book How to Raise an Adult. The “shifts” Haims proposes are juxtaposed with examples of how parenting has evolved to convey how the childrearing has transformed. The author attributes the helicopter phenomenon to four events that began in 1980s: child abductions becoming publicized, the idea that children were not doing enough schoolwork,
Millennials are accused of being tough to manage, behaving entitled, unfocused, lazy, narcissistic; however, they seek to have a purpose that they love and make an impact. Yet, the more they receive, they are not happy. Sinek jokingly states that they could be offered “free food and bean bags, because that is what they want, and they will still not be happy.” According to Sinek, there is a missing piece for millennials, furthermore, he goes on to say there are four characteristics that make millennials the way they are, “parenting, technology, impatience, and environment.” (2016).
Intrusive parenting is a new scenario that has just recently caught the attention of the public eye. Barbara Howard, author of “Landing Helicopter Parents,” refers to these specific types of parents as “helicopter parents” because they are in constant fear that something bad might happen to their child and are willing to do anything to raise a successful young adult (8). It’s because of this fear, that they tend to “hover” close to their child (8). Other terms
This style may make become difficult for the child in the future and hinder their ability to become independent. These parents pay very close attention to what their child or children do and are going through, especially with their education. Because of this, it may end up giving the child problems in their adult life. In the article “‘Helicopter Parenting’ Hurts Kids Regardless of Love or Support, Study Says.” it states, “it also suggested that lack of warmth can take the situation from bad to worse, amplifying low self-esteem and high-risk behaviors such as binge drinking.”. As well as “including such over-involved habits such as solving children’s problems and making important decisions for them, while warmth was measured in terms of availability to talk and spending quality time.” Unlike authoritative parenting this parenting leaves no space for the child to grow and explore. Helicopter parents are constantly hovering over their children causing them to become dependent on the parent. Helicopter parents stop their children for learning essential skills in order to gain independence for their adult life. Unlike authoritative parenting, helicopter parenting is unequal in the balance between control the parent has and freedom the child is allowed to have. Over-controlling their children instead of finding a balance is the reason why this parenting style is not the most effective or best
Helicopter parenting is the term used to describe parents who are overly involved in their child’s lives/decisions, to the point it becomes a detriment for the child. Helicopter parenting can facilitate a child’s over dependence on the parenting system (van Ingen, 2015). Severe cases of helicopter parenting stunts a student’s ability to learn and grow independently. Helicopter parents indirectly communicate to their children, that they are unable to handle their own life. This can cause students to be fearful of making choices on their own, without first receive feedback from their parental figure. Helicopter parenting can also have far-reaching and lasting effects on a child’s psyche,
Socrates, a famous Greek philosopher, once said, “The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in the place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households . . .” (Has Child Behavior Worsened? 3). This quote often represents the logic that is passed from generation to generation. The generation that is most prominent today, the Millennials, is often compared to the other generations, as the Millennials were brought up with much more technological advances and thus behave differently. Some people may use this in a bad way, and others in a good way. Although multiple generations set the two generations apart, the Millennials can be considered
When the Baby Boomer generation was questioned about the newer generation, these words and phrases was often used: “slacker”, “lazy”, “has it easy”, “entitled”, “obsessed with their phones/internet/games” and “antisocial”. On the other hand, Millennials (or Generation Y) would say this about their older counterpart: “entitled”, “ruined it for those who followed”, “had it easier”, “narcissists”, “stubborn”, and “materialistic”. The reason for why the elders would see it that way is because they had to live without the quick solutions that teens have nowadays. This “elders bashing on the newer generation” isn’t uncommon, as seen by what was recovered from Aristotle’s and Plato’s time (Rampell 389). For Millennials, some of their tension comes from the fact that they will be the first generation earning less than previous generation for the same amount of work (Roos). Not only that, but the prices for land property, and college education, which is needed in many jobs nowadays, has skyrocketed compared to their parent’s and grandparent’s. Due to this wealth gap, it sparked a lot of tension between the generations, and this can be seen in smaller environments, such as in the
As termed from an encyclopedia article on parenting, helicopter parenting is an expression used in the media to express contempt or disapproval of parents. Helicopter parents simply watch over, or hover over their children and lead them from a better view to give advice. Helicopter parenting is not what it is depicted as; it is a style of parenting that creates a bond between parent and child that in most cases is beneficial in economic, social, and academic aspects of the child’s life.
When does helping become hovering? The generation of “Helicopter Parents” is becoming more and more prevalent in families. A helicopter parent is a guardian who hangs over the head of their college-age son or daughter. Helicopter parents typically do whatever is necessary to lead their child to success. This controversy has many suggesting it is actually making a positive impact on the next generation, some think not.
Rainer, Thom S. (2011). The Millennials: Connecting to America’s Largest Generation. Edition #1 . Pages 18-24.
As the largest generation on the planet (Jenkins), the Millennials (otherwise known as generation Y) have faced plenty of scrutiny from the previous generations. A Millennial is the demographic group made up of anyone who was born between the years 1980 and 2000. This group of young people has proved to be a great contribution to society and also to the advancement of technology. They do things in their own ways and on their own terms, always approaching a problem in the most efficient way possible for everyone. Millennials have settled numerous issues in our society and they are expected to change our world exponentially. Millennials adapt to new technologies very quickly, however, while Millennials see themselves in generally positive terms such as ‘tech-savvy’ and ‘up to date’, many people from the older generations see them as ‘spoiled’ and ‘lazy’. The new technologies do make living everyday life easier and more functional, however, Millennials are not at all ‘lazy’ for taking advantage of them. Millennials use these new tools in incredibly innovative ways and they see the world in a completely different light.