For a parent, it's never easy to watch a child leave for college. For the child, however, it's an exciting time, one that shouldn't be stifled by helicopter parenting. If you're excessively concerned, your anxiety over your child's well-being could actually handicap her ability to live and function in the world, says Melody Brooke, Texas-based family counselor. "The greatest gift you can give your children is to believe in them," she says.