helicopter parent

English

A cartoon of a helicopter parent.

Etymology

From the tendency to hover over their children's lives, like a helicopter.

Noun

helicopter parent (plural helicopter parents)

1. A parent who pays an inordinate amount of attention to their children and often makes decisions, particularly educational ones, normally the province of the student.

Translations

overly attentive parent

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 直升機父母 (zhíshēngjī fùmǔ) (male and female parent plural only)

• Danish: curlingforælder c
• Dutch: helikopterouder (nl) m, helikopterouders (nl) pl
• Finnish: hanhiemo (mother)
• French: parent poule m
• German: Helicoptervater
• Japanese: モンスターペアレント (monsutā pearento), モンペ (monpe), モンスターペアレンツ (monsutā pearentsu)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: helikopterforelder m, curlingforelder m

• Persian: والد هلیکوپتری (vâled-e helikopteri)
• Swedish: curlingförälder (sv)

References

• Boston Globe, November 7, 2006. "'Helicopter' parents try too hard"