Is this an era of obsessive parenting?

This s a provocative article in Newsweek written by Leonore Skenazy about how overprotective we are with our children. In generations past children had much more freedom to walk to their friends, make their own plans, and organize their free time. How can they learn self reliance when parents aver so invested on the minute details of their lives? What is the downside for kids when we fail to give them the autonomy they crave?