Americans have this culture of killing the individual in adulthood I've noticed. It seemingly starts with parenthood. Parents are sold the myth that they ought to have no time for themselves, that they ought to drop all their hobbies and anything that made them them, and turn into this machine that either works or putts around with the baby the whole time. The idea of childcare or babysitter seen as "missing out." This frenetic behavior seems to last until the kid is an adolescent and has to set boundaries on the overbearing parents.

It wasn't always like this. Parents used to have more hobbies. Maybe dad was a bowler. Maybe mom was in a gardening club. Where was the kid? With the village of course: grand parents, baby sitter, playing with other kids in the neighborhood.