God has called you to protect your kids. It’s your instinctive response when any potential danger arises.

You protect your kids in a number of ways, keeping them out of harm’s way, being proactive when someone tries to hurt your child, or allowing things to come into her life that will prepare her for the future. But overprotection cranks it up another notch. It’s your unwillingness to allow anything to happen that jeopardizes your child’s maturity.

I can’t tell you what overprotection looks like for your family. Everyone knows it exists, and most people see it in other families, but can’t see it in their own. Just remember this: Parents should protect their children, but not to the point that our sons and daughters can’t learn from their pain.

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