Not discounting larger cultural forces and momentum at play, but I have to wonder how big a role inflated healthcare costs play in parents' level of protectiveness over their young children.

Even adjusted for inflation, a visit to the emergency room for a broken arm or a few stitches is a way different financial proposition today than it was in say 1988 when I was a pre-teen running amok, alone, within a 5 mile radius of home.

I know I have a dollar amount floating in the back of my head when I'm watching my kiddo cavort around in the playground or jumping between big rocks the same way that I did at his age. Is there mortal danger? Not at all.. Buuuuut, is he going to split his lip if he face plants on a leap? How many grand is that going to be, even with insurance? It figures into the mental calculus, even if we can ostensibly afford it. Lots of families probably cannot afford it so well. My family definitely wouldn't have been able to if health care costs were the same in the 80s as they are now.