Did Modern Parenting Overprotect a Generation? Experts Warn of a Resilience Crisis in Children

Psychologists are questioning whether today’s highly supervised childhoods are leaving children less prepared to handle stress and setbacks. Research suggests that in trying to protect children from harm, modern parenting may be weakening the resilience that safeguards their mental health.

For many children growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, childhood meant roaming neighborhoods freely, resolving conflicts without adult oversight and inventing games out of boredom. It was not described as character-building, but psychologists now say those everyday experiences helped develop emotional strength.

Research shows that unstructured, independent play supports distress tolerance, emotional regulation and problem-solving skills. Challenging play allows children to manage fear, recover from failure and navigate disagreements on their own. These skills form the foundation of resilience.

In contrast, modern childhood has shifted toward constant supervision, structured schedules and increased screen time. The rise of “helicopter parenting” has coincided with growing rates of anxiety and depression among young people. A review in Frontiers in Psychology linked overcontrolling parenting to higher anxiety and lower self-efficacy in children.

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, argues that the decline of free play was intensified by smartphones and social media, shifting children from a play-based childhood to a phone-based one. Research psychologist Peter Gray has similarly warned that reduced independent activity limits resilience-building opportunities.

Experts emphasize that safeguarding remains essential. However, resilience itself is a form of protection. Children need manageable stress, small failures and opportunities to resolve conflict independently to build emotional strength.

Protecting children does not require eliminating every challenge. Allowing age-appropriate independence may be one of the most effective ways to safeguard their long-term well-being.