WATERLOO, Ont. (CUP) -- Greetings, Generation Y. Yes, you -- born after 1982, 20-something years of age, addicted to the Internet, and most likely the son or daughter of a proud “Helicopter Parent.”

“Helicopter” or “Snowplow Parent” -- take your pick. Our Baby Boomer moms and dads have cleared the paths for our future success, hovering over our every move since elementary school so that we may have what they never did -- and more.

Good intentions, no doubt, but in my experience, these privileges have spawned a great number of personal difficulties to which I'm sure many of you can relate.

The obvious difficulty resulting from this type of parenting is a false sense of autonomy. Think about it -- take a home stocked full with more than you need, throw in some smothering and constant praise, add a pinch of mommy cleaning your room, and what do you get?

Brats? Sure, in many cases, but I think it's safer to say that overly involved parenting styles lead to needy children. In their efforts to steer us around making mistakes, these parents have in fact bred disadvantaged children who can't survive without them.

Needy children come in all shapes and sizes. You may be a needy child and not even know it yet.

I only recently discovered that I am a needy child when I lost my dad three years ago. I quickly became overwhelmed by the slew of new responsibilities that came down on my shoulders. (Who knew you had to renew your license plate sticker, anyway?)

Find it hard to relate to my story? Look at how many friends (or friends of friends) you know of who dropped out of college after first year. An post-secondary education has become an extension of high school, and as a result it can be said that the value of such a degree has gone down.

For many of us, it is no longer a privilege to go to university, it is just expected. However, while Helicopter Parents may get their children into college, they can't really do much to keep them there.

That's where our spoiled pasts come back to kick us in the ass. Without much experience making mistakes, how can you be expected to know what to do when you fail your first exam?

Don't worry, just turn on “The Hills” and you'll feel better about yourself.

Parents who prevent their kids from making their own decisions and messing up once in a while are also preventing them from developing into self-sufficient, responsible adults. Chatelaine magazine's Wendy Dennis seems to agree -- well, for the most part.

In her February column, “Awesome shmawesome”, Dennis speaks of how our generation has been raised in comfort, and that this privileged upbringing has yielded some emotional handicaps like a fear of failure and a “know-it-all-ness” prevalent in many of our peers. On that much we are in agreement.

However, Dennis argues that our special upbringing has inflated Generation Y's self-esteem. And this is where Dennis and I would disagree. While I definitely understand that many Millennials are arrogant, I wouldn't say that we have too much self-esteem. That would imply that we actually have a sense of self.

“Sense of self” in this case means any identity separate from our parents. How can you know what you're capable of if you call in reinforcements every time you screw up?

I think the real issue Generation Y must deal with is our lack of confidence in ourselves and our compromised ability to bounce back after failure. These are qualities that come from life experience outside of our comfort zones, and away from our all-too-accommodating parents.

So take my advice: First, admit that you're a spoiled brat. Next, blame your parents. And after you've briefly acknowledged these developmental obstacles, get over it. It's not our parents' responsibility to de-spoil us, we've got to be brave enough to rip off our water wings and plow the rest of the way alone.

Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.