Helicopter Parents

    So I’ve been hearing this ‘Helicopter Parent’ term this week from a few different sources. I never heard it before & had to do some research. Apparently, we are not just the Sandwich Generation (sandwiched between aging parents & growing children) we are also the Helicopter Generation… hovering over our children all these years. The term has been around since the nineties. So did I tune it out all these years during the teenage tester’s growing years so I wouldn’t think any amount of hovering was wrong? Is it a coincidence that I am just hearing it this week; the week she left for her first year of college? Okay, so now I start to worry & wonder ~ did I hover too much? Will my girl make it on her own, completely (relative term – I know she will need money) without me? I’m pretty sure our parents’ generation didn’t hover. It’s not genetic then, so what is it? It can’t be we have too much time on our hands because we all had/have to work. So what makes us do this? In my own case, I think there was a balance of hover & faith in her. I know I conscientiously backed off of the online check everything your child does in school websites a few years ago. (to be honest, I lost the password it was a hassle to get a new one) Forcing me into a trust situation, she started telling me school info. How novel that was & the past two years she’s done her best work. Coincidence? I think not. So now I will continue the real communication with her & pray that I didn’t hover too much & she will be just fine. I’m sure you have your own stories & to whatever degree of hovering you’ve done, they will be just fine. So good luck first time college moms. Have a little faith & believe you’ve done a great job! You have!!!