American parents have bought into the idea that they have a responsibility to over their children all the time.

Part of the issue concerns providing students with enrichments to their education. Only wealthy parents can do this thoroughly, so this tends to perpetuate and increase inequality.

We could instead do as parts of the US used to do, and include enrichments in public schools so that all children could have them available. But this costs money. We used to get it by taxing the rich. We need to do so again.

Part of the issue is obsessive overprotection. This is a useless burden for American parents regardless of their level of wealth.

If Japanese children can take the subway (which implies crossing streets walking to and from the station) on their own at age 6, American children can do it too. We have to learn to direct them towards such independence.