Understanding Rhetorical Structures
Rian Davis Shackelford
ITT Technical Institute
Breckinridge School of Nursing

It’s extremely hard being a college-age student. Especially when you have overbearing, over protective parents. The article “No Escape From Helicopter Parents” explains that in great detail and acts as a means to inform and/or make people, parents in particular, aware of what their actions have on their offspring. I grew up as a military brat (US Army) and traveled all over the place. My parents were young and actually still growing up when I was a kid. So I wouldn’t classify them as “helicopter parents”. In this essay I will go in depth on the targeted audience, the purpose of the article and the larger context or the article.

This article is clearly aimed directly at parents. The author even goes so far as directly addressing them by using “you” and in a sense pointing them out. The article flat out tells the targeted parents which are “baby-boomers” that they are too obsessed with their children. The term “baby-boomers” refers to people born post WWII which would include parents who are 51 and 70 years old today. The writer feels that these parents are guilty of inflating their kids’ egos as well as are more concerned with being their kids friend as oppose to being their parent.

The purpose of this article is to bring to the attention of parents, in particular the “baby-boomers” the impact of their parenting style. They have good intentions with the “hovering” and lenience in parenting but it in fact cripples children. Constantly being there and endorsing mediocracy actually enables them to become functional adults. Essentially these parents are trying to live through their kids instead of letting them grow on their own and be their own person. The impact also goes far beyond just their kids, it actually creates generational changes as well.

Not all “baby-boomer” parents are enablers and live through their kids nor feel that it is necessary to “hover” and constantly control their kids’ lives or even be their “best friend”. Some actually feel the opposite yet maintain a middle ground. They focus on pushing education, discipline and being independent without building a false sense of reality. It is important to be there for your kids but you can’t hold their hand all through life and basically be a bodyguard. Kids have to make mistakes in order to grow and learn.

As a child of “baby-boomers” and a parent myself, I can see all sides of this argument. Children raised in the 60s had it rough. There was a lot going on and the world was experiencing major changes. I think “hovering” parents have good intentions but didn’t quite figure out or understand the impact of trying so hard to be the total opposite of their parents. As a parent myself, I believe that you should be close with your children but that it is very important that they understand that you are not one of their peers and are not on the same level. You are their parent. Not saying that you have to be an absolute ruler but you do need to make sure they understand who is in charge and have respect for the fact that you are a parent first and foremost. There will be times where they are upset or don’t like the decisions you make in regards to them but in the end they’ll thank you for it.

References
Carroll, F. (2012). Perspectives on Argument. Age of the Helicopter Parents.Pages 31 - 33.

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