Did you know public elementary and high school students today are more diverse than the baby boomer generation of students? According to a report by the US Census Bureau, in 1970, the student population was 79 percent non-Hispanic white, 14 percent black, 1 percent Asian and Pacific islander and other races and 6 percent Hispanic. In 2003, 60 percent were non-Hispanic white, 16 percent black, 4 percent Asian and 18 percent Hispanic. By the years 2015, I bet the number of minority students will outnumber whites. It already does in many urban cities across America.

Today I became the parent of a high school graduate. Just like most parents of my baby boomer generation, I always want the best for my daughter. I want her to be judged by the content of her character and her knowledge and not by the color of her skin. Unfortunately, racism is still alive and well and in some cases being perpetuated by the baby boomer generation. All you have to do is look inside the boardrooms in Corporate America and see who’s calling the shots and how many faces of color are in real decision-making positions.

Sadly, too many young people enter into adulthood without a clue as to how the world really is. Why? Good question. In today’s speech, the Valedictorian admitted he lived in a “bubble” for four years and, as a result, missed out on the opportunity to get to know and help some people along the way.

We, as baby boomer parents, must bear the responsibility for how our children have been raised. The future is in their hands. What you instill in them when they’re young will reveal itself when they become adults—good or bad. It will also be a reflection on you.

So the question is, are you happy with the way your children (and grandchildren) are turning out?

As my daughter prepares for her high school graduation, I’ve spent a lot of time asking myself what kind of parent I’ve been over the years.

Was I what some parenting experts call a “helicopter parent?”  Apparently this is a term associated with baby boomers–describing us as parents who hover over nearly every aspect of their child’s life and have a hard time letting go.  According to an article in USA Today, most helicoptering is by mothers who are hyper-involved with their sons’ lives and fathers are more likely to use strong-arm tactics to get results. The article also suggested that as many as 70% of parents may be involved in some kind of helicoptering behavior.

OK, so tell me, what good parent isn’t concerned about their child’s welfare? Don’t we have a right to stick our noses in their business, especially if they need help and don’t know it? Don’t you agree that some young adults need guidance when it comes to their futures—like choices for college? As a matter of fact, according to a 2007 study by the National Survey of Student Engagement, students whose parent frequently intervened in problems were more engaged on a number of measures. Those students report higher satisfaction, more deep learning activities and greater gains on desired outcomes such as learning on their own and learning to work with people from different backgrounds.

So now that you can admit that you might be a helicopter parent, the question is what type are you:

The Gunship Helicopter: This type of parent swoops down and fights battles for their young adults.  This is typically the type of parent that school administrators and employers don’t like to deal with.

The Traffic Helicopter: This parent provides guidance for their young adult and helps direct them to make appropriate decisions throughout their lives.  The difference between this helicopter and the gunship helicopter is that the traffic helicopter ultimately allows the student to drive their own journey.

The Rescue Helicopter: The function of this kind of parent is to either pull their young adult out of a crisis situation and bring them to safety or bring supplies to help get them back on their feet.

You can also take a quiz offered by the College Board:  This was my result:

Stay the Course:  Your level of involvement seems to indicate a good balance between your child’s responsibilities and decisions, and your advice and guidance.

My parents were the Rescue Helicopters.