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Do you know any helicopter parents?

I try to take good care of my kids. But will shielding them from bad experiences and struggles make them better adults? This article made me feel a little sick inside. I attended camp as a child, and worked at camps during my high school and college years. The kids went to camp this summer too - Stinky and Butthead to sleepover camp, and Boo to day camp. They had a blast, and part of the fun is being away from parents. And the kids at Camp Meriwether are older than my kids - we are talking about middle and high school kids that are going to camp... with their parents!

As parents are we supposed to be trained monkeys, who serve to entertain our children on demand? Don't get me wrong - I like playing with my kids and spending time with them. But it's good to know that if I need to make a phone call, do the dishes, or just spend some quiet time reading I won't have a child at my side, begging me to play with them. My kids can - and do - entertain themselves! Furthermore they shouldn't need me there to make sure that they are happy. Hopefully I have taught them how to communicate and interact with others well enough that they can do this on their own.

What are these kids (and their helicopters) going to do when it's time for college? Or that first job? How will their potential employer feel if mommy and daddy come to the job interview with junior?

Kids need to learn that independence early on.