Overly Supportive Parents

NEWBURYPORT, MA — Martha Walsh stands in front of a group of students, brow furrowed, shaking her head in disappointment for 5 uncomfortable minutes. The middle schoolers have done nothing wrong, explained Walsh, who holds a PhD in Educational Psychology. She performs this ritual daily as part of a radical new program designed to help children diagnosed with an overly supportive upbringing. It is estimated that 1 in 8 kids suffer from the condition, which researchers say can leave them with a severe lack of ambition and chronic complacency.