What defines a helicopter parent?

[cuteASAbug]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

So, would todays Moms be more over bearing\protective today than say 30-40 years ago?

Is technology really the reason?

Or maybe some of the Moms are trying living a life that they did not have.

I definitely think that technology plays a large role in this. 30-40 years ago when you went to college out of state, long distance calls were limited and expensive so you had to learn how to fend for yourself.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by cuteASAbug

I definitely think that technology plays a large role in this. 30-40 years ago when you went to college out of state, long distance calls were limited and expensive so you had to learn how to fend for yourself.

LOL. Long distance calls weren't that "limited" 30 or 40 years ago. Even if more expensive than now, they were pretty easy to make -- people did it all the time. (I'm not even sure they were more expensive than now -- back then, we didn't have cell-phone service to pay for.)

What's different is that if you weren't where the phone was, no call. Cellphones make constant helicoptering easier, but they're not the reason for it.

As for going to college out of state, 30 or 40 years ago, most heli-parents wouldn't have allowed that -- the kid would likely be within a 2-hour drive.