Helicopter Parents - When is Enough Enough?

According to many sources, including wikipedia, A helicopter parent is a term for an individual who pays extremely close attention to their child or children, particularly at schools, classes or other educational avenues. This parent rushes to prevent any and all harm from befalling their child or letting them learn from their own mistakes, sometimes to the point of even being contrary to the children's wishes or wants.

These "helicopter parents" are so named because, like a helicopter, they hover closely overhead, rarely out of reach whether their children need them or not. Woe be to the person or persons who come within striking distance of this parent's sharp blade like protection. It has been known to hurt, maim and in some cases, even permanently scar those who oppose it's path.

As time goes on we see many articles about the increasing number of parents who are writing their child's college applications, challenging grades, contacting college professors/advisors, scheduling their child's classes, urging them to join the "right clubs" and even calling every morning to wake them up, obviously not knowing the real use for an alarm clock. And if that isn't enough for these parents to do, many do their child's shopping, laundry and even go so far as to clean their dorm rooms, etc.

And this massive "attention and hovering" doesn't stop after a child leaves college, either. These are the self same parents who schedule job applications, write their child's resume and even choose their interview clothing. These parents just don't know when to stop.

The question becomes when is enough "enough" for these parents and in fact are these parents helping or hurting their children by their constant hovering and helping?

My opinion is this....You cannot pad the corners of the world.........and when these so called "helicopter parents" jump in and intercede at the slightest indication of "trouble" they are in fact doing just that. They are forgetting that oftentimes the best lesson learned is the lesson that is learned the "hard way". Both children and adults learn from their mistakes and hopefuly become beter people because of those mistakes.

These parents are not helping their child when they step in, they are actually are harming the child, in that they are denying them one of the most important lessons they can learn...that when you fall down, pick yourself up, brush yourself off and try, try again. Sadly enough, some of the simplest lessons in life, can be the hardest to learn...and not just for the kids.

If these parents don't cease their all powerful, ever controlling ways, someday little Jack or Jill will learn to speak and think for themselves and at that time helicopter parent may hear a big "done for the day" from their child as they walk away forever.