I got into this topic on the thread about my son's complaints, and now I see an article posted on PC about "helicopter parenting" and how it can be bad for mothers!

I had never heard the term until I went to my younger son's college orientation. But my understanding of it is parents who do "hover" over their children, getting involved in every aspect of their lives, including even doing things in college such as picking their majors, their courses, and calling them constantly to check on them.

As I mentioned in my previous thread, my son had written on Facebook that he felt like his parents were the exception to this approach, and that he felt like he had missed out on some things as a result.

I have to admit that my parents are too much this hovering way, even now that am an adult in my fifties. My mother still asks nosy financial questions, etc. When I was a college professor and getting ready to go to a conference to present a paper, they even insisted on going along. My mom even got mad at me when I was in my late twenties when I didn't put her name on a checking account I was opening!

As a result of that, and also because I've struggled with depression for a long time (partly due to my parents!), I did allow my kids to have more say-so about things and not hang over their every move.

Gee, I have a friend who filled out her son's college applications, etc. He even called her one time while she was visiting me to ask her "what he should do about going to his college class, since it was really pouring rain outside"! When I said to her that he must have been looking for an excuse to call, she said, "Oh, no," and didn't seem to think he was being any bit too babyish.

What do you folks think? Have you seen a lot of helicopter parenting? (On the other hand, BTW, my son says he does appreciate that he was able to learn how to do more things for himself. He is a really a take-charge person.)