Parenting out of control

They go by many names: helicopter parents, hovercrafts, PFHs (Parents from Hell). From baby monitors to cell phones (often referred to as the world's longest umbilical cord), to social networking sites, and even GPS devices, parents have more tools at their disposal than ever before to communicate with, supervise, and even spy on their children. Situating this phenomenon within a broad sociological context, Margaret K. Nelson, finds several striking explanations for why today's prosperous and well-educated parents are unable to set realistic boundaries when it comes to raising their children -- from cover.