A Disturbing Harbinger

Colgate University...Ivy League. The best and brightest students, right?

At their parent orientation weekend they now have to make it a point to tell parents they've gotten out of hand. They call the university to straighten out residence hall disputes, grade issues with professors, dining hall problems, etc. It also has students calling their parents on cell phones immediately after tests to inform their parents how it went.

The message the university is sending to parents: "Back off. Let them grow up. Handling those out-of-classroom lessons on their own is part of growing up." They even have a name for the violators: Helicopter parents. They hover over their children by being hyper-involved.

I can tell you this: As a youth pastor, I see two extremes. The completely uninvolved parent or the overinvolved parent. And trust me, they both have HUGE consequences.

Adam Weinberg, dean of the college, says, "We noticed what everybody else noticed. We have a generation of parents that are heavily involved in their students' lives, and it causes all sorts of problems."

It does.

I seem them before he does.

Take heed, parents. It's a delicate balance, trying to protect and show love while letting them grow up and fight their own battles. But try to find it.

Or deal with the extremely negative consequences...the least of which is being reprimanded by the dean of a college.