I recently read The Coddling of the American Mind by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff.  The subtitle of the book is “How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting Up a Generation for Failure.”  With lots of relevant research data and personal experience the authors examine how social media usage, our hyperpolarized political climate, and helicopter parenting have converged to create a generation of less mature, less resilient, and less responsible young people.  While the authors do not write from a consciously biblical perspective, they do offer much wisdom and insight into current unhealthy trends in our culture.  This was one of those books, that as I worked my way through it, I kept thinking, “I wish I could get all parents to read this.”  The immediate concern of the book concerns the problems of student fragility on college campuses (i.e. safe spaces and trigger warnings), but the book applies to everyone who is raising children to be independent sound-thinking adults.  The chapters on parenting and our tendency to be helicopters alone are worth the cost of the book.  Yes, we are ALL helicopters compared to previous generations –and our reasons for being so protective and hyper-involved simply do NOT hold up to the facts and actual risks our children face.  You may not agree with all they argue (I did not), but the book will force you to evaluate how you are preparing your child for their adult future.  The book opens with the quote, “Prepare your child for the road, not the road for your child.”  You can listen to interviews with one of the authors here and here or read a couple of reviews here and here.