Sign in Subscribe

The Most Damaging Thing "Good" Parents Do

Last updated on 
The Most Damaging Thing "Good" Parents Do

You're not going to like this: The more you protect your kids from struggle, the worse they'll handle life.

The research is brutal. A study in the Journal of Child and Family Studies found that children of helicopter parents experience higher levels of anxiety, depression, and lower self-efficacy—the belief that they can actually handle things. Another analysis from the University of Winchester confirmed that these kids also develop a stronger sense of entitlement, expecting rewards they haven't earned.

Here's the kicker: When life inevitably gets hard (and it will), they don't have the coping tools. Because you never let them build them.

The science calls it resilience. Faith calls it perseverance. Either way, it only develops when kids face challenges and work through them—not when we swoop in to rescue them from every discomfort.

The practical fix: Next time your kid forgets their homework or faces a consequence, pause before you intervene. Ask yourself: Is this struggle dangerous, or is it the curriculum?

Struggle builds strength. Discomfort is data. And your job isn't to clear every obstacle—it's to raise someone who can handle them.

Sources: