Italy has one of the lowest birth rates in the world and that of Piedmont is the lowest in Italy. Kids are becoming a rarity and parents who are confronted by these strange beings are becoming hyper protective. A mother asked me if she should do something about some nuts that fell into her pool since her son has an allergy to nuts and wanted to take a swim. Another mom wondered why Italian strollers do not have a warning: “Remove child before folding” because her sister who lives in USA has a stroller with that warning. Many parents ask me about kindergartens where they teach Chinese, or if I have suggestions, or know of toys that will stimulate their child’s intelligence. Will listening to Mozart in the first year of life improve the child’s IQ? A father asked me for a list of hospitals along the route his child would take on a school tour. Another Dad asked my opinion about photographing his child every morning before going to school so that in case of some disaster the child would be identified more easily thanks to the photo of what she was wearing. Many parents are worried about the wrong things and have no idea how to judge the risks their children are exposed to. Last year there were about 50 000 motor car related injuries in Italy mostly avoidable and many concerning kids. Yet the main worry is if the measles vaccine causes autism. Many parents believe there is a magic formula to becoming parents and that if they spend a fortune on hypoallergenic socks and toys that play in place of kids, they will succeed in bringing up their child. The secret is well known: let kids make their mistakes without (within common sense) interfering; build a pleasant, happy and positive atmosphere; healthy food and sleep; get to know their friends; don’t be afraid of saying No; do things altogether etc. Easy, right? It’s easy if we are advising others, but awfully difficult if it is our children we are dealing with.