PS: you mentioned it being a 'long article' . . . I have read long books on this subject. Maybe I could get the wife to read on article on it . . . She'll never read a book on this subject. UGH.

Here is a book I read on it:

"A Nation of Wimps: The High Cost of Invasive Parenting"

Check the link to look at the very funny (and sad at the same time) photo on the cover of the book - just the cover of the book, is worth picking up a used copy of the book - cut off the cover, frame it, and put it in a prominent place in your home - as a reminder):

http://www.amazon.com/Nation-Wimps-High-...p;keywords=Wimp


For an excellent book on kids/parenting - i'd recommend this:

The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness: Five Steps to Help Kids Create and Sustain Lifelong Joy Paperback
by Edward M. Hallowell M.D. (Author)

The author is a doc from Harvard who is a shrink. Easy/fast read. Yet, deep and very helpful stuff.

One last one . . . Any of the 'Love and Logic' stuff by Foster Cline and Jim Fay - AWESOME STUFF - you can get the main ideas of their philosophy at loveandlogic.com - Yes, they are constantly 'pitching' their products at you . . . but they offer enough free info on their site that anybody who can 'connect the dots', can get the basic principles down. Here is a link to their free articles:

http://www.loveandlogic.com/t-Free-Articles-and-Handouts-for-Parents.aspx