My impulse was to be a helicopter parent so I had to fight it. When my daughter learned to ride a bike I fairly chased her out of the house and told her to ride around the neighborhood. I bit my nails the whole time until she got back, but I made myself do it. Even before that I used to send her up the street to get the school bus. On the next street over I’ve seen parents drive there kids that one block and wait with them in the car until the school bus came. It wasn’t like I didn’t worry. She used to walk herself back from being let off too. One day she was a little late coming back so I decided to see what was up. I found her at the street corner playing in the dirt. Solid!

She’s a very self-sufficient and resourceful adult now. Whether the above had anything to do with that outcome I don’t know.