Treating someone with excessive care and gentleness, often in a way that prevents them from becoming independent or tough.
From the verb 'coddle,' possibly derived from 'caudle' (a warm drink), suggesting the comfort of warmth; entered English in the 17th century with the sense of gently heating or treating with extreme care.
The term 'coddling' gained new cultural weight in recent debates about 'helicopter parenting'—researchers now study how overprotection in childhood can actually weaken resilience and problem-solving skills, making the word a perfect example of how parenting philosophy evolves.
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