What Is Snowplow Parenting?

"Snowplow parenting, experts say, is usually born out of love and care, but can lead to issues for the child later in life. What Is a Snowplow Parent? A parent who regularly removes obstacles from their child's figurative path is often referred to as a snowplow parent. Just as a snowplow smoothes the path for those behind it, a snowplow parent steps in to smooth things over before their child has an opportunity to encounter a challenge."

"Feldhahn says people have a tendency to over-catastrophize things in their minds. We think if a child fails an assignment, they will fail the class and then not get into a good college, she says. These risks exist, but we tend to overstate them in our minds. Feldhahn says if parents can allow children to make mistakes and learn lessons at a young age when the risks are still relatively low, they will be better off in the future."

Snowplow parenting involves regularly removing obstacles from a child's path to prevent problems before they occur. It differs from helicopter parenting, which intervenes to fix problems after they arise. Overprotective behavior often stems from overestimating the long-term consequences of short-term failures, such as an assignment or missed class. Allowing children to make mistakes and face manageable difficulties builds problem-solving skills, resilience, and independence. Parents can adjust their approach at any child age and should encourage gradual responsibility so children learn to handle obstacles themselves while risks remain relatively low.

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