Please forgive me if I left that impression. I certainly can't speak for every parent, just for myself. I will have to live for the rest of my life with the knowledge that I failed my youngest daughter when she was still at home with me.
When she was 11 she was diagnosed with clinical depression with suicidal ideation. She went into the mental ward of a local hospital and was put on trazadone, buspar and zoloft.
My little baby who we lovingly called our little "Ewok" because of her big round blue eyes. When I discovered a back pack filled with used pads and asked her about it, she told me she had started her period when she was 10! A year before and hadn't told anyone because she was so terribly shy.
The kids in Christian school picked on her and said they wouldn't be her friend unless she gave them her lunch or lunch money. It killed me to see her suffering emotionally and I had to scramble to find out how to best help her.
I made the mistake of going into super hover, sheltering mom who was willing to give her anything she wanted to make her happy.
I bought her the most expensive clothing, hovered over her all the time, threatened the kids at her school and their parents, home schooled her, went with her to counselling, cried with her, held her, made up little games the two of us could play, tried to get her interested in music, sports, dancing, anything, even 4-H!!
Nothing brought her happiness and joy. I thought I would die during these many many years. I love her so very much! I would give my life for her and in many ways, I have. What do parents do when they have a child with MS or MD or cancer? I feared losing her so much that I did. I didn't impose boundaries on her as she grew into a teen. I left the other two daughters to themselves way too much and they turned out great.
So I've learned a lot and wouldn't repeat my behavior again, not would I run for office. I own my mistakes and am reminded of them every day of my life. But, I wouldn't and couldn't run for office.