'Helicopter' parenting is a term often used pejoratively to describe an overprotective way of raising kids. Although this approach to parenting is coming from a good place, it can interfere with a child's development, says psychologist Sarb Johal.

'Helicopter' parenting is a term often used pejoratively to describe an overprotective way of raising kids.

Although this approach to parenting is coming from a good place, it can interfere with a child's development, says psychologist Sarb Johal.

Listen to Sarb Johal

Helicopter parents can seem too overprotective, Johal says, perhaps wanting to oversee everything their child is involved in and sometimes even acting on behalf of their child, particularly when they're in a group.

These parents are coming from a good place, but their behaviour can have unintended consequences.

"Often they're trying to think about protecting their child from harm. It's not that they don't trust their child, it's just that they prefer not to see their child in emotional pain, not letting them get into trouble, perhaps.

"But it can take its toll as well, not just on the child, but perhaps interfering some of their developmental pathways."

Not only does overinvolvement impact a parent's time and energy, Johal says it can also rob the child of life experiences and opportunities to learn and adjust to the world.

"What we're trying to do here is to protect the child from having these painful experiences, but we also know that some of these experiences are necessary for them to develop coping skills or even to understand that the world is somewhere where they can explore.

"If we interfere in that exploratory process a bit too much with children, we're kind of interrupting their ability to get out in the world and to learn its rules by itself, rather than having that scaffold constantly being provided by parents.

"So, the less you can interfere in that exploratory mode, the better."

If the child is in pain or suffering abuse, swift parental intervention is "non-negotiable", Johal says, but not required for all of the "little bumps that people come across in life".

" to kind of sit with that for a while, allowing them to perhaps explore what other situations that they been in their lives where they can apply that coping skill or apply that learning or what happened in a previous relationship to this new relationship.

"Then the parent like a little bit of a coach, rather than going in and sorting it out for them…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details