Editing The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt (section)

=== Parenting and the Culture of Safetyism ===
Haidt also examines the cultural shift toward “safetyism” – a movement in parenting and education that prioritizes physical and emotional safety at the expense of resilience-building. Overprotective parenting, designed to shield children from harm and discomfort, has unintentionally contributed to young people's struggles with anxiety.

Parents, often motivated by the desire to protect their children from harm, have created environments where risk-taking, independent problem-solving, and even emotional discomfort are avoided. Haidt argues that this trend has fostered a generation ill-prepared to handle challenges and setbacks. Instead of learning how to navigate failure, disappointment, and discomfort, many young people are raised to believe that these experiences are harmful or even dangerous.

Haidt is critical of the modern emphasis on “helicopter parenting” and “safe spaces,” which, while well-intentioned, may inadvertently prevent children from developing the coping skills necessary for emotional resilience. He highlights how many schools, in an attempt to accommodate students’ needs for emotional safety, have adopted policies that limit free speech, suppress uncomfortable ideas, and coddle students, further reinforcing the cycle of avoidance and fragility.