Helicopter parents hover, helping their young adult children too much. They may clean up after them still, help them with their school work, decide their major and help them with their class schedule. They will intervene to solve minor problems with roommates or professors. More and more colleges report that helicopter parents are making their presence felt on campus. Some even show up for college job fairs to help their child interview! Hovering parents have negative effects on themselves, their child, and the schools. Helicopter parents suffer more anxiety and less satisfaction with life. Children of these overly involved parents are arriving at colleges without basic social skills and the knowledge they need to solve their own problems. Colleges have to spend money on the resources required to deal with the phone calls and emails, contributing to increased tuition costs. Answer the questions in this quick assessment to see if you might be a helicopter parent, so you can begin to allow your young adult to become independent and assume the responsibilities that will lead to successful adulthood. Remember, the mistakes your children make along the way are some of the most valuable lessons they will ever learn.
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