A recent study indicate more and more parents are “helicopter parents.”

So what’s a helicopter parent?

Helicopter parents hover over their kids like a news chopper hovering over the scene of 5 car pileup on 5 North in Los Angeles. Helicopter parents are always on the lookout for threats to their child’s success and happiness. If something or someone gets in the way of a child’s success at doing anything - the helicopter parents flies right in to take control of the situation. Never mind letting Johnny or Jane try to work it for him or her self – Helicopter Mom or Dad to the Rescue!

This parenting issue (oh yes, it is definitely a parenting issue) can seem to be very well intentioned, what parent doesn’t want their child to succeed? And some kids just love it, who wouldn’t want someone to step in to fight your battles while you just set your speed at cruise control? It almost sounds like a perfect match – parents who want to control their child’s life, and lazy kids who go along with it. Of course, just like too much wine or too much chocolate, too much for too long will get you in trouble – or in this case, a parents need to “hover,” can have potentially very serious consequences for their child including:

• Anxiety disorders — Some children of over-involved parents are likely to become more anxious, risk-averse and self-conscious.

• Low self esteem - a life lead behind a parent’s protective shield limits the child’s ability to stand out

• Bullying– Other kids leading a more independent path may turn on kids who are seen as being coddled by their parents, sometimes out of shear jealously of a child who is achieving more at school as a result of a parent’s involvement.

So what’s a parent to do?

Back off from your child’s life a bit. Sure you want the best for your child. But the short term gains in ensuring your child’s immediate success can actually be very harmful in the long run. Let me put it this way, when you retire, and you’re sitting on the sandy beach with an umbrella drink in your hand and your cell phone rings….its Johnny. “Mom, I just got assigned too much to do at work. Can you talk to my boss?” Now, is that a dream retirement? Cut the rope. No matter how young or old your child is, it is not too early or too late to teach them self reliance and responsibility.

For more helpful parenting advice on this subject and more, consider this Better Parenting University online parenting seminar: Preparing Your Child For Success: Surefire Ways To Make Sure Your Child Is Ready for The Real World