Overprotected Generation

I know I have a tendency to ramble about a lot of discussions we've had in my Asian American Studies courses and not enough about my psychology classes.  There's an unbalanced scale here, sorry.  We rarely have discussions in our psych courses because we're always being lectured at.  The graduate seminar I'm in for health psychology is probably the only class I've had a chance to really voice any questions and opinions in my undergraduate career.  It keeps me on my toes and gives my neurons a bit of exercise, especially since I can only retain so much information before I burst from not applying any of it.

In one of readings a few weeks back, we examined developmental psychology and how we are now willing to utilize early intervention to educate at risk groups for health-harming behavior such as dieting, substance abuse, unprotected sex, etc.  Researchers have suggested that it is more beneficial to try and to "nip it in the bud" before they end up as chronic illnesses or disorders which may affect our young generation.  Sort of makes you realize that once a diagnosis is made, that label sticks with that kid for life. 

What if the diagnosis is something that isn't as serious as cancer, diabetes, or cystic fibrosis?  Something that isn't a concrete disorder or disease, but something that can only be alleviated with some medication, but mainly treated with aggressive behavioral therapy?  Something as light as being "socially awkward" or "odd" is considered outlandish.  It's not normal for a child to be a little wild and it's unacceptable for them to have their own personality.  You can't prevent social abnormality.  It can be over taught and over practiced, but how much of it is effective without a specialist shadowing your every move?

It makes me wonder, working with kids in an environment like this-- when is it okay to be a little different?  You can't mold everyone into a social norm.  You can definitely train them to meet social standards, but do you really have to iron out every little wrinkle in there?  It sort of comes back to that whole instant gratification thing, not just with the younger part of our generation, but with the parents of those kids too.  They want their kids to walk and talk a certain way and if the kids don't do it, there's something wrong with them, because their parenting or schooling is flawless, and it's most likely the kid that's at fault.  He is uncooperative.  She is just making my life miserable.  He is trying my last nerve.  What's wrong with how we're looking at our kids these days? 

Flaws used to be okay.  It's what builds character, at least that's what I learned growing up.  I understand the circumstances when those "imperfections" become a daily handicap and a child is unable to function, but what happens when they overcome that and make it work but still turn out "different"?  It's ironic that we also try to break kids out of the certain rigidity they need to function, yet they are encouraged to do something outside the box.  So where's that balance between the rules and the free will?