True story: My youngest son used to tell people that he was allergic to chocolate because I would rarely, if ever, let him have any. And I would tell him that chocolate was bad for him. I was afraid that sugar would make him hyperactive and thus difficult for this single mother to handle, at the time.

I've lightened up quite a bit in 19 years.

But, seriously, are we taking things too far to ban peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in school cafeterias because one kid in the school might be allergic to peanuts. And, how many kids have real allergies as opposed to some parents just fabricating such so that that Tommy and Janey don't stray from mom and dad's prescribed diet for them?

From food to playgrounds to germs...are we being overprotective of our children? Our parents let us live with a lot worse than our children are being allowed these days and we came out (mostly) unscathed.