I wonder how people think their kids will suddenly be able to cope on their own when they go to college or otherwise move out if they haven't had a lot of practice at solving their own problems and making their own decisions first. And this process has to start during the preschool years.
Having worked in college administration for the past 13 years, I can tell you that they
don't expect their kids to be able to cope on their own when they get past high school. I have seen the number and severity of "helicopter" parents increase steadily during my time in higher education. These parents not only want to be involved in their children's housing choices, roommate choices, roommate conflicts, conduct cases, and coursework. They also want to be involved in their children's employment issues and discipline, as well. It's downright scary to me. It's simply not healthy for a child OR a parent's emotional development.
