I worry that my previous post may have come off as overly judgemental. I certainly didn't intend to paint all parents as helicopter parents. The true helicopter parents are still the minority even if the numbers are rising. In general, the parents who are just having a hard time adjusting to the collegiate phase of their children's lives respond very well to heartfelt and caring conversations encouraging them to let go. I would not consider those parents to be helicopter parents. I love working with those parents, to be honest.
And, phey, I completely understand what you mean about the food allergies and hovering. My son has asthma, and when you're faced with issues that can truly be life or death, it is absolutely necessary to be watchful and sometimes hover. You're right about how easy it is to have that watchfulness morph into something else, too. I used to catch myself hovering in other areas of his life all of the time. It's certainly gotten easier to back off a little now that his asthma is under control.
I love these boards. Such good conversation, intellectual stimulation and (sometimes) debates, huh?
