Hovering -- Help or Hindrance?

Passivity and a sense of entitlement might describe the qualities of the Millennial generation. The results of some studies indicate that hey don’t seem to be huge risk-takers. Often, due to overwhelming student loans, they return home to their parents and tend to stay indefinitely. The helicopter parenting they’ve endured has certainly contributed to their lack or inability to put a stamp on any signs of independent thoughts or actions. Is it risk aversion or the fact that customs, ethics and morals have been replaced by political correctness and an obsession with equality? I’m not knocking equality, diversity or inclusiveness yet I must argue that if it weren’t for the individual working diligently on an idea or notion we probably would never have witnessed the miracles of the Salk vaccine or Apple computers.

The new collectivism relies too heavily on team efforts but a team is only as good as the achievements of its individuals contributing toward a common goal. Even on teams there must be leaders who take responsibility, who guide and make decisions for the team. In essence, it is the quarterback who calls the shots. There is something radically wrong when children are learning a game, trying to understand the rules and trying to apply them in order to win. It’s distressing to hear that many teachers are not keeping score because they don’t want the less adept to feel left out or upset by their lack of talent or skills. This is absurd. In all competitive sports there are rules to follow and score-keeping is the only way to determine the winner. They are not shielding the child but doing him a great disservice by not allowing him to improve his skills. We are individuals first, team members second. A competitive spirit can be a valuable asset in teamwork. A healthy energetic body can help stimulate a healthy, creative mind.

Approximately 1.5 million students are now being home schooled for a variety of reasons. For some the distance to travel for a decent education is too far. For some it is a case of parents wanting to instill a certain set of morals or ethics which they feel the local public or private school is not able to provide. Some families enjoy travel and exposing their children to different cultures is their main objective. Others follow a more religious path and want their children to practice certain teachings. The parents who home school their children would rather have a stronger voice and more control. I have close friends who have raised their children in Colorado – they have never owned a television set and refuse to have one in their home. Their children attended public school and they had a tight schedule of religious classes, sports, music lessons and community service. Their oldest daughter attended Harvard on a scholarship and recently became a medical doctor. She is an active church leader, sings with a choral group, plays in a band and participates in her community. While I had been skeptical about the way this family raised their children I know they don’t have an ounce of risk aversion. They have become strong independent young people who are not puppets to the new technology.

The National Academy of Sciences recently ran two studies on students and their proficiency in math, reading, general knowledge, attentiveness, task proficiency and eagerness to learn. Two sociologists analyzed the results and grade point averages. Their findings indicated that Asian-American students as an ethnic group performed better than any other group. They found that this group came from stable, two-parent family structures with high expectations and goal-setting standards. They tend to believe that anyone can learn to become a good student. Whereas mor typically American white kids seem to be dominated by mothers who micro-manage the food, dress and social lives of their children

To me it’s sad to see so much attention being paid to sports figures and Hip Hop artists flashing their body parts around in a constant exercise in narcissism and the dubious distinction of having their nude pictures all over the Internet. It’s even sadder when our elected representatives entertain these people as though they were role models for their children. Sad, because they don’t contribute much to society yet children look at the way these people are idolized and put into the spotlight by people who should know better. Children should be encouraged to develop their own strengths. This means being self reliant, independent and taking sensible risks to achieve their goals – not emulating Miley Cyrus or Jay Z.