Well, the fact that you were able to navigate UCLA and find your way into classes, etc., says a lot about you and perhaps also about the fact that we were used to figuring out stuff for ourselves—stuff that would typically fall under the parenting umbrella. Makes me wonder about our generation's hypervigilance, our micromanaging of our children's lives. The constant communication, aided and abetted by cellphones, to be sure, makes it even harder for them, and us, to feel independent. We don't want them to make the same mistakes we made; we want to keep them safe and help them make the right choices. All of this unrelenting attention can lead to a kind of inter-dependence that makes it really tough to let go. Colleges call it "helicopter parenting." Childhood extends far into what used to be termed adulthood. That said, I do believe our kids are in many ways more secure and that they (much of the time) share more of their inner lives with us. Is this good? In balance, I have to think so. I want to know who they are, what they're thinking and worrying about....