DEAR HARRIETTE: My son is often referred to as a "mama's boy" because of his affectionate gestures toward me, such as kissing my cheeks before school, seeking my opinion on his clothes and requesting I support him during his basketball games. While I appreciate his closeness and love, I sometimes wonder if his attachment to me might hinder his independence and growth. I find myself torn between cherishing our bond and wanting him to develop his own identity and autonomy. How can I strike a balance between nurturing our relationship and encouraging his independence? -- Mama’s Boy
DEAR MAMA’S BOY: It is wonderful that your son adores you. You don’t need to push him away. What you can and should do is teach him that the way he cherishes you is how he should treat anyone he chooses as a partner. What you don’t want him to do is shower all of his love on you to the detriment of his relationships as he develops them. Talk to him often about how to treat other people and how to make smart choices. Give him chores to do at home, and resist doing everything for him. Otherwise, he will believe that his partner should pick up where you left off and baby him when he is an adult. Teach him independence by assigning him duties that he has to figure out on his own. Let him fail at tasks so that he can learn from his mistakes. Love him, but stop enabling him. For more musings on this topic, read: imom.com/warrior-or-wimp-how-not-to-raise-a-mamas-boy.