helicopter parenting

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noun Informal.

a style of child rearing in which an overprotective mother or father discourages a child's independence by being too involved in the child's life: In typical helicopter parenting, a mother or father swoops in at any sign of challenge or discomfort.

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Compare free-range parenting.

Origin of helicopter parenting

First recorded in 1985–90; so called because such a parent “hovers” like a helicopter

OTHER WORDS FROM helicopter parenting

helicopter parent, nounhelicopter mom, helicopter mother, nounhelicopter dad, helicopter father, noun

Words nearby helicopter parenting

helicopod gait, helicopt, helicopter, helicopter gunship, helicopter parent, helicopter parenting, helicopter view, helicospore, helicotrema, heliculture, helideck

How to use helicopter parenting in a sentence

Now, I had to believe then, I continue to believe it now, that helicopter parenting isn’t really very important.
The Economist’s Guide to Parenting: 10 Years Later (Ep. 479)|Stephen J. Dubner|October 21, 2021|Freakonomics
Employees strap a device to their heads and power a helicopter drone with their minds.
Use Your Brain—Control a Drone|The Daily Beast Video|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The whir of the circling NYPD helicopter muffled their chants calling for unity and calling out police brutality.
Protesters Demand Justice For Gurley As Gap Grows Between Cops and NYC|M.L. Nestel|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Kent herself has said the movie is about parenting, the unsayable extremes of what mothers can feel.
Grief: The Real Monster in The Babadook|Tim Teeman|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST

But genes trump everything, even parenting by furry primates.
Can Tarzan of the Apes Survive in a Post-Colonial World?|Ted Gioia|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Du Pont would even fly his wrestlers to tournaments in his Learjet or helicopter.
Foxcatcher’s Real-Life Psycho Killer|Marlow Stern|November 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"It would have been easier to bring along a helicopter," Wayne said wryly.
The Judas Valley|Gerald Vance
"Too bad we couldn't have had that helicopter you were talking about," said Boggs.
The Judas Valley|Gerald Vance
I struggled to make my way through it just as the PA underneath the helicopter switched on.
Little Brother|Cory Doctorow
And from the helicopter at the White House lawn, where was your first stop by helicopter?
Warren Commission (7 of 26): Hearings Vol. VII (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
It was approximately forenoon, about 10:45, from the White House lawn, in the President's helicopter.
Warren Commission (7 of 26): Hearings Vol. VII (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy