Matthias Doepke, grew up on a farm, had a relaxed Childhood. “My parents expected that we show up to eat, go to school and before dark, to home,” says Doepke. “Otherwise, we had a lot of freedom.”
Today, he is a Professor of Economics in the United States, have children, and notes: “My role as a father is much more intense than it was with my parents. I spend a lot of time with education .” At some point he realized: “I’m a helicopter dad!”
that was The impetus for Doepke, to explore the parenting style of helicopter parents. The expression comes from America and refers to parents who care for their children all the time and as the helicopter revolve around them. And fear, the offspring could fail, up-close – and of course full of love – schooling, study and career of their children monitor.
“The greater the inequalities in a society, the more parents intervene in the lives of their children.”Matthias Doepke, Economist
Why do you do this? And: what are the consequences? The investigated Matthias Doepke, together with the Economist Fabrizio Zilibotti. Doepke, German, Zilibotti Italians who taught until 2017 at the University of Zurich. Today, both professors at elite schools in the USA.
The researchers are deeply immersed in the data from international student tests, surveys, and statistical surveys. What they found, they have now released a book previously published in English: “Love, Money & Parenting” (love, money, and education). The core thesis: The helicopter parenting works. She teaches the children life long advantages.
The second finding is The Trend that parents today are spending much more time in order to monitor the activities of their children, is a consequence of economic changes. “The economic conditions have an impact on how parents raise their children,” says Doepke. “The greater the inequalities in a society are, the more parents intervene actively and sometimes with hardness, into the lives of their children.”
“The helicopter parenting has to do with our education system.”Margrit Stamm, Professor of education
there is a simple explanation: If the gap between rich and Poor opens, parents are increasingly concerned that their children will be left behind. And give you the maximum use for better performance in school, the later, the access to well-paid Jobs.
so Far, there was much criticism of helicopter parenting, demands at the same time, and patronized. The Overprotection, warn the opponent to be spoiled, dependent children who are ill-prepared for the real life. Psychologist Hara Estroff Marano has been dedicated to this phenomenon, also a book. It bears the title: “A Nation of wimps: The high cost of invasive parenting”.
The Economists, Doepke and Zilibotti’s draw a different picture. The helicopter parenting brings advantages in educational opportunities and vocational. For their study, the two researchers analyzed, among other things, the Pisa performance testing of a 15-year-old students around the world. Then they compared the results with the Reports of the adolescents and their parents, how they treat each other and how strong the parent employees and their children. This was also collected in the Pisa Tests.
“Curling parents rooms, such as the Skipper with her broom to the children of all the obstacles out of the way.”Henri Guttmann, family therapist
result: “an intense style of parenting” leads to better school performance. This is also evident when one compares only those students whose parents have a similar training and the same Education you have.
The most effective, so the study, are parents who “educate authoritatively” revealed. You command not, but try to convince the children to do those things that are from the point of view of the parents correctly. That is not so in the case of pubescent teenagers, even the economic professors clear. “You have to explain in the early years of life, and argue start. And then ceases at some point,” says Doepke. “It is clearly evidenced that the children turn to Teens, more of the classmates and friends and less on parents to hear.”
Switzerland is in the middle
The now widespread, intensive parenting style is a relatively new phenomenon. In the 1960s and 1970s anti-authoritarian education was announced. It was only in the eighties, the Trend was that parents interfere more in the lives of their children. To Hippie parents, helicopter parents followed.
The Trend is global. But there are differences between the countries. “An intense style of parenting is particularly pronounced where economic inequality has increased greatly,” says Doepke. “So, in those countries in which the trench in the distribution of income between those who have a good education, and to people who have little education, have increased.” The parents today are under more pressure to have their children in the best way possible in a world with limited career opportunities prepare.
most pronounced in the “helicopters” in the United States and in China. At the other end of the scale, Sweden. “Here the parents are towards their children extremely loose,” says Doepke. “This has to do with the society is very egalitarian.” Switzerland is in the middle.
The helicopter parenting is a tightrope walk
But also in this country has spread to the helicopter parenting, says education researcher Margrit Stamm. And not just for economic reasons. “It also has to do with our education system that has transferred since the nineties, the parents will always be more responsibility,” says root. “Today is said at parents evening in the third grade, the parents of effort and homework to check. In some cantons, even in the education act.” The parents would behave so so the the educational policy for years.
helicopter parenting is a tightrope walk. The responsibility of the children remains important. Parents who interfere too much, could block the development of their sons and daughters, says the master. “The aim of education must be the responsibility of the children. And not that you do exactly what the parents want.” The research show that children who were educated in this way, fail later, as an adult, as soon as one hurdle there is that nobody can do for you out of the way.
How much free space, how much influence is possible, necessary?
The family therapist Henri Guttmann has for this Hovering a word: Curling parents. As a Skipper with your broom “way overprotective fathers and mothers all the obstacles. This is education for unselbststän speed.” Guttmann argues, to encourage the children and promote according to your ability – instead of in the micro-management style, the whole life of the offspring through and organize the daily life with tutoring, violin lessons, ballet, or sports, paving them over, until it can accommodate the full Agenda of the Kids loose with the busy schedule of a CEO.
Matthias Doepke would have nothing against a relaxing education. There is a Balance: How much free space interference is possible and how much is needed, so that the children do well in life? The answer: Challenge and incorporation of pays – at least when it comes to success in education and lucrative Jobs.
(Sunday newspaper)
Created: 16.03.2019, 21:50 PM
