Where do parents draw the line between being concerned and being controlling?

Well it depends on the parents and the parenting style they adopt.. so you have to find it yourself I guess

Somewhere between where the child is willing to welcome or disregard their parents input. From there on I can expect an attentive and graceful attempt to be recognized by the child as a source of good intention. hopefully the child will formulate a trustworthy relationship with the parental figure and learn to adapt and compromise for the sake of good will. It can be confusing for anyone to secure their sense of identity in any given circumstance where a higher authority figure insists on good intention, and ultimately it can be up to the adolescent, and the only thing you can expect of this dual outcome is a clash of confidence of whats right between the two. Where you can come face to face with a parents perseverance and their steadfast love might you find a confidant offspring standing up for her self, for her inner light, and what she too knows what is right. in the mist of it all, all we have is the confidence of our selves and the care for its integrity that we may be held responsible for,

Well...different parents think different things and teach their kids different. There really isn't a line, it's just different parenting skills

I personally don't see the two as mutually exclusive. Parents who exhibit controlling behavior do so because they're concerned. Parents who express concern are expressing a passive-aggressive form of control, albeit done consciously or unconsciously. Parents who leave it to their kids to make their own decisions have retired their jobs as parents and thus express neither concern nor exhibit controlling behavior. The conflicts arise when there's a mismatch; either a son or daughter seeks a parent figure when the parent(s) don't care to fill the role(s), or the parent(s) seek to be the parent figure when the son/daughter isn't seeking it.

Very simply put, the line is like this: Providing input is concern. Making the final decision is control.

In my experience, parents can go over the line quickly. If there is a concern, have them talk to you about it and come up with a solution together. If they take action for you without hearing your thoughts on the matter, then they are controlling the situation. If you and your parent(s) come up with a plan of action together, then they are being helpful.

Being concerned for their child is fine, showing that your worried about their future, the actions they may be making, ect. However, if the worry turns into the parent telling their children that they're making bad life choices, that the parent wished they'd never let the child do certain things (like going to a certain college, or moving out) then it can start to become emotionally controlling, making the child feel guilty about their choices in life just because the parent disapproves.

Usually when you start to feel like you don’t have control over your own life. When decisions are being made for you instead of your parents’ opinion being incorporated into it. Being concerned is when they’ve let you know that they’re worried and they do it purely out of compassion. Taking steps to control it WITH your permission is being concerned but when it is spontaneous and you haven’t given permission, that’s when it becomes a problem and that’s when a parent is being controlling. It can also feel like restriction and that you are unable to free yourself from their grasp.