Parents are often hands on when it comes to helping their kids prepare for their future. And sometimes there are approaches that can derail the kids' path. According to Willard Dix, a contributor at Forbes, there are at least five ways that parents should not be doing when it comes to their kids' college process.

Dix wants to encourage a positive parent-student-counselor relationship, and he does that by citing five additional types of parents' behaviors that should be avoided:

The Invisibles 

These are parents that do not feel that they should come to every parent and counselor meeting. These parents feel like they should not do anything at all, as reported by Forbes. Skipping college counseling means not being able to provide family information or share their thoughts on important topics when it comes to the college process.

The Overdoers

Theses are parents who do everything for their kids. It is the opposite of the Invisibles. Oftentimes, they sign their kids up for colleges haphazardly and every counselor meeting will be taken up by these parents' questions and concerns while the kid sits quietly. Aside from building a time table, as reported by U.S News, it is important that parents involve their kids and the kids own the decision.

The Insecure

These are parents that project their own anxieties. An example would be sending their kid to college that would calm their fears of failure or justify the cost of everything they did since birth.

The Hostiles

These are parents that already feel that going to a particular college is a bad idea and would ask questions that are coated with suspicions. It will take a lot of patience to work with parents like these.

The Sneaks

Parents who appear like they are the most ideal parents, attending parent nights and attending counselings. But they are sneakily listening to an outside source. The relationship will then be compromised which leaves the counselor following the family's wishes without being involved in them.

For students preparing for college, watch this video below from College Planning for more tips: