we have gotten used to setting aside our own opinions about what’s best for our kids and looking anxiously to authority figures to tell us what’s right. But ultimately, parents, the responsibility lies with us:

In toddlerhood, a helicopter parent might constantly shadow the child, always playing with and directing his behavior, allowing him zero alone time," Dr. Dunnewold says. In elementary school, helicopter parenting can be revealed through a parent ensuring a child has a certain teacher or coach, selecting the child's friends and activities, or providing disproportionate assistance for homework and school projects.