My wife is rather protective of our son. He's 10. She

>How much protection is too much?

If he's not exposed to the risk of pain, then he's not learning how to prevent pain. That's exactly what 'sheltered' means.

PSA: try to find a middle ground between opposing extremes. Life is not a dichotomy.

>>18158854
The helmet and pads ain't the worst idea especially if he's a little kid. Those fuckers do the stupidest shit. Video games is iffy since it's good to have other hobbies but he will be a little alienated from other kids. Pedo and cpnspiracy thing seem a bit much unless you live in some weird violent hormonal place. You know you could talk to her as the fucking dad right?

>>18158854
I don't see how protecting your kid from getting a TBI is gonna make him into a pussy? Is buckling your seat belt for pussies too?

Video games are full of hatred and they suck ass regardless, but I played them as a kid, and was always able to completely differentiate video games from reality. Honestly if you're worried about him becoming a pussy video games will probably do that more than anything. It's the number one beta male hobby behind anime, unless your 10 year old is in a fraternity playing FIFA with bros.

And beyond all that, people just have their own temperment. I'm good friends with two brothers, who are a year apart. They had the same parents, but their personalities are quite different.

>>18159034
He's 10 years old, he's not little anymore. That stuff should have stopped two years ago unless he's going professional with it. A lot of mothers do what OP is mentioning and he should do to stop it if he wants his son to grow up okay with himself. As much as she thinks she's protecting him, you can only worry so much about the danger that isn't happening.
Don't let your wife make your son weak out of fear. Don't let anyone make your son weak.

>>18159056
Yeah, because it's disgusting for this to keep happening. Make your son strong, OP. He needs to be strong against the rest of the world.

t. man raised in a single mother's home, with grandparents acting as second parents.

Putting it bluntly, I was so overprotected, I didn't even know how to read fucking street signs during my walks.

You just need to sit your wife down and explain to her that bread has been a staple in the human diet on every country in the planet for thousands of years. Just because in the last 10 years someone said gluten is bad for you doesn't mean that suddenly all of civilization (much of which was built on gluten) will collapse because you ate a loaf of bread.

This

Rome has saying

Bread and spectacle

>>18159056
Easy there pal, I'm just defending the helmet wearing as that's a legal issue in some areas.
>Not playing video games makes your son weak
Lol whatever man. OP is just as much to blame though since being silently is just consenting and these things hardly happen overnight.

>>18158854
Too much is when you do more than give advice.

Best parenting is just laying down what goes and what can go on in your house and your things and offering your own warnings about what your kid wants to do. That way one day they may see or do something retarded you called out and go like "shit my parents were right" and really follow your advice.

>>18158854
Have dad time where you two secretly watch ultra violent 80's movies, anime, JoJo, Vidya , etc. while wife isn't watching. Take son to gym after school and make him lift. Inject cynicism about everything.