Grown Up Digital, Part II

The freedom indoors opposed to outdoors struck a note with me. In the final chapter of Part II, Tapscott talks about how Boomer parents interact with their Net Generation children. I was obviously able to relate on a number of points made throughout the chapter but I never contemplated the reasoning behind these concepts.

Firstly, the idea that I can tolerate my parents, regardless of my inability to wander unsupervised, is due to my freedom through the Internet. When outdoor adventure turns into online browsing, I am able to venture anywhere while also staying in close proximity to my parents. This capability has provided both my parents and myself with a comfortable living arrangement and over time, a closer relationship. Although I’ve noticed this same connecting among my friends, I never thought that helicopter parenting was common.

As an only child, my parents are naturally protective, which is understandable considering I’m all they have. To add to the smallness of my family, my parents have never divorced and the cousins I do have I’m not allowed to associate with because they’re bad influences. Naturally, this adds a lot of pressure on my part and more attention than I care for. So when my parents want to attend the college parent orientation or help me find job applications and put in a good word, I assume this is only normal for my family. That is, until I started reading Tapscott’s book and learning about the increasingly common helicopter parent.

However, what surprises me is the idea that parents are more protective and almost more controlling than ever before, but with a change in the family structure and freedom of the internet, the net generation is closer to them as a result. From personal experience, I admire my parents and appreciate their help when they offer it. It doesn’t mean I’m lazy or can’t take care of myself, but it’s rather a win-win situation for everyone. They get the satisfaction of helping and I receive that help, which saves me time and gives me further insight on opportunities I may have missed.