Nathan shared with me an analogy about weight lifting - specifically, bench pressing.
The child is the weight lifter and the weights are "the weight of the world." Considering some of the things going on around us right now, I'm sure to a teenager it feels that way. I know it does as an adult.
The parent is the spotter. Do too much work as a spotter and the child doesn't get stronger. Don't provide assistance at the right time and the weight lifter gets crushed.
Pretty good analogy, right? Nathan was fired up for developing it, and I was fired up that he embraced the power of the analogy.
As a coach, leader or parent - what's your approach? Are the the people you have responsibility for getting crushed? Are you doing too much "spotting" - in effect micromanaging and helicoptering? Or are you providing security and encouragement, helping only when necessary?
Your approach as a spotter matters.