You can counter the trend of parents rearing kids who grow into insecure, enabled young adults by allowing them to learn and fend for themselves. Life is not a well-manicured lawn. It’s more like a jungle. Teach your kids how to swing that machete and cut their own paths with some guidance — and park the lawnmower in the garage.

I was chatting with a classroom teacher and mentioned something about helicopter parents. You know, those moms and dads who hover over their kids for every little thing. “Oh no, Bryan, that’s not the latest. We are now seeing lawnmower parents. They don’t just hover over their kids — they walk in front of them for everything that may be in the way and cut a clear, smooth path.” Walk in front of their kids is putting it mildly. Bulldozing through is a better picture of the mind.

This parenting style doesn’t end when Bradley or Susie head off to university (after mommy and daddy did all the applications for them). Questioning the college professor about grades and even writing papers for Joe College Student and emailing to them hours before due? Yep, it happens more than you think. Talk about modeling total lack of integrity. Gee.

The problem? Simply put, we are seriously cheating our kids from how to master mowing their own lawns. My number one goal of the responsible parent is to do and not do those things that will allow children to mature into responsible young adults and be independent of their parents. No, I’m not saying disengaged from the parent, never visiting the parent or no longer loving the parent — just to live independently. To be gainfully employed and living on his or her own is the key. And of course if so de-sired, starting their own family.

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