Many parents are known as "helicopter" parents.  This means they hover all around their teens.  They show up at school unannounced, soccer games turn ugly, shopping for clothes turns into Project Runway, and dating becomes a disaster.  Avoid being a helicopter parents because it could back fire on you.

Hovering around your teens is not healthy.  It's great that you care about your teens, but lighten up!  You can suffocate your teens without even knowing it.  If you love and support your teens, they'll make the right choices most of the time.  Cut your teen some slack because they'll make mistakes.  This is how they learn and grow as a person.

Some parents are control freaks which is why they hover over their teens.  This will only push your teens away from you.  Teens need space and room to breathe.  Allow them to experience life and learn what it has to offer.  Allow them to experience the Law of Cause and Effect.  They'll soon find out that every action has a consequence.  If they keep making the same mistake over and over again, you can step in and show them what not to do.  Until then, back off!

Helicopter parents often do more harm than good.  Why?  Your teens will not be prepared to take care of themselves when they reach adulthood.  When your teens go off to college, will you go with them?  No, you will not.  Some parents have the audacity to call college professors when their child receives a bad grade.  Your teen received a bad grade because you probably did their homework for them when they were in high school.  Yes, there are parents who do their teen's homework.  This is not productive. 

If you don't give teens responsibility and do everything for them, how will they function in the world?  The answer is they will not be able to function and will live with you forever!  This may sounds a little far off, but it could happen.

Resist the urge to be a helicopter parent.  Allow your teens to make mistakes and learn from them.  Let them stand up for themselves and fight their own battles.  You can guide and council your teens, but allow them to make decisions on their own.  By the way:  showing your teens how to cook, do laundry, balance a checkbook, etc...This is not a bad idea either.