What defines a helicopter parent?

[lawgal]

If it is something the parent is paying for, would that give them an interest in finding out what they are paying for? As an example, if my kid wants a car and needs help paying for it, I want some information about the car before I do it. I do want some information about sororities and sorority life at my daughter's proposed campus. Hopefully that is different from helicoptering.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by lawgal

Hopefully that is different from helicoptering.

Absolutely. But the difference is: if you check out the sorority websites, ask anyone you know personally that has personal connections, and/or ask generic questions on GC - to me, that's being an informed parent. When you call the Greek Life office, visit the chapters yourself, and make demands (ahem, strongly worded questions) on GC that anyone who knows anything about the spesific chapters to give you all their info, as well as help you secure recs, etc. that's crossed the line.

I guess what I'm trying to say that the line (TO ME) is when you start doing things that are FOR your children that they can do themselves. Gathering your own (GENERIC) info for the purposes of having a basic knowledge of what you're paying for doesn't cross the line for me.