Helicopter Parenting to Empowered Parenting: The Changing Nature of Indian Parenting in the Context of Generation Z.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64882/ijrt.v14.i3.1879Keywords:
Helicopter Parenting, Empowered Parenting, Generation Z, Indian Family, Parental Control, Autonomy, Self-Reliance, Family SociologyAbstract
Parenting practices are undergoing substantial transformation in contemporary Indian society due to educational expansion, digitalisation, changing family structures, global cultural exposure, and the increasing emphasis on individual autonomy among young people. Generation Z has grown up in an environment characterised by rapid technological change, extensive digital communication, greater access to information, and changing expectations regarding family relationships and personal decision-making. Against this background, the present study examines the changing nature of Indian parenting from helicopter parenting, characterised by excessive monitoring, intervention, and decision-making on behalf of children, towards empowered parenting, characterised by autonomy support, collaborative decision-making, emotional responsiveness, and encouragement of self-reliance. The study adopts a sociological perspective and focuses on Generation Z respondents. For the proposed empirical framework, a sample of 400 Generation Z respondents is considered. Data are organised around two objectives: to examine the prevalence of helicopter and empowered parenting practices, and to analyse their association with autonomy, decision-making, family communication, and self-reliance. The illustrative findings indicate that moderate and high levels of helicopter parenting continue to be reported by a substantial proportion of respondents, while empowered parenting practices are also increasingly visible. The findings suggest that contemporary Indian parenting cannot be understood simply as a transition from parental involvement to parental withdrawal. Rather, the emerging pattern involves a movement from controlling involvement towards supportive involvement in which parents remain emotionally and socially connected while allowing young people greater participation in decisions affecting their education, career, relationships, and personal lives. The study concludes that the changing Indian parenting environment reflects broader transformations in family authority, intergenerational communication, individual autonomy, and youth identity.
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