I Moved Back to the US From Switzerland When My Daughter Was 3. My Suburban Neighbors Don't Get the Way I Parent.

American parenting culture seems to say to the child: I'm in charge of getting you to school — you have no agency. If it's cold, I'll keep you warm. If it's raining, I'll keep you dry. If it's snowing, sure, wear your sneakers, I'll drive you. If you're late for school, it's not your fault, it's mine.

The car line at our neighborhood elementary school is seemingly never-ending. It snakes around the corner of an otherwise beautiful centuries-old brick school. In the cars sit devoted parents who want the best for their children, which also seems to include polluting the air and constipating the streets.

But beyond the environmental consequences of the car line, something feels even more detrimental: American parenting culture.