Helicopter Parent

Recently I have been accused by a few of my close friends and family of being a helicopter parent.

Wikipedia say: Helicopter parent is a colloquial, early 21st-century term for a parent who pays extremely close attention to his or her child's or children's experiences and problems, particularly at educational institutions. These parents rush to prevent any harm or failure from befalling them and will not let them learn from their own mistakes, sometimes even contrary to the children's wishes. They are so named because, like helicopters, they hover closely overhead, rarely out of reach, whether their children need them or not. In Scandinavia, this phenomenon is known as curling parenthood and describes parents who attempt to sweep all obstacles out of the paths of their children.

I feel a bit guilty as accused because I DO pay extremely close attention to my son's experience and problems ESPECIALLY at his educational institutions but I am not sure I see this as an issue.

Recently Robbie has required advocacy at school only after attempting to self correct issues that occured. We stepped in when necessary, not prior to his attempts. That being said, one issue was resolved in 15 minutes (yes, the teacher was a bit begrudging) and the other was solved within a very brief time frame with apologies, explanations and future promises of consequences.

In a situation that I find difficult to stomache, a family who's son (around Robbie's age) committed suicide is suing the same school (and district) for not 'protecting their son from bullying which ultimately led to his suicide'. This assertion occured after no note was found, and no knowledge prior to the suicide on the parents part that bullying was even happening. How is it possible that the school is responsible for this? The boy used his dad's gun to kill himself. If the bullying was cause for his destructive behavior, why didn't he try and kill the bullies?

This whole situation is why, at some level, I am proud to be a helicopter parent, because, at the very least, I KNOW what is going on with my son and if there is a break in his pattern, I can assess the situation, and in most cases assist him through the difficulties. What if this boy's parents had done that? Would he still be here? I bet he would.