Many parents sit in my office or on Zoom and say something like: “I want to help, but I also don’t want to take over.” They see their child sending applications with no replies, or avoiding the topic entirely. They feel anxious – but they also don’t want to become “that parent” who writes emails or fills in forms on behalf of their adult child. This tension is completely normal. In this article, I’ll share a framework for understanding healthy parental support during a child’