The struggle is crucial. In nature the butterfly that does not struggle to escape from her cocoon will not gain the strength to fly. A butterfly who receives assistance to escape that cocoon will not survive.
Painful as it may be to observe, it is crucial to allow the butterfly to struggle.
I struggle with this concept as a human, as a parent. My instinct is to offer my assistance. I jump in to help, but sometimes that is the wrong thing to do. Sometimes what must be done is jump into the cold water and attempt assistance. The challenge is knowing when to wait and when to jump.