Imagine forgetting your heavily-weighted English assignment or gym sneakers on a day in which you need them the most. Now imagine not being able to text your mommy to come and bring them to you. Scary, right? You’re probably breaking a sweat right now just thinking about it. Well, a simple fact of life is that many schools are changing their practices so that your beloved mommy  will no longer be able to bring you those sneakers or assignments.

Several schools around the U.S., including Lake Mary High School in Florida, have adapted their practices, disallowing parents to drop items off for students. According to an article from Scary Mommy, hung high in the front office like an omen, signs read “Attention students and parents, we do not accept items for drop off such as lunches, backpacks, homework, sports equipment. Please plan accordingly.”

Principal Dan Serrano does not necessarily agree with this practice.“If you go into the attendance office, people drop off food, water, books, clothes, baseball bats, soccer shoes because kids forget stuff.” He adds, “If I was a parent and I wanted to drop something off to my kid, why couldn’t I?”

While many are opposed to it, this is not a bad idea at all. Such practices force adolescence to become more responsible and take control of their lives. Kids need to learn quickly that they will not always be able to rely on their parents. What better time to start practicing independence than now in our high school years?

Besides, many teens complain about not being taken seriously or still being treated like children by their parents and other adults. First of all, whining about it will not help anyone’s case. Furthermore, what makes them think they will be taken seriously if they are still so reliant on their parents? What do they expect if they are not showing that they can be independent? Would people laugh at Oprah if she still relied on her mommy to bring her lunch? She would probably lose business for being unprofessional.

Some believe there should be more leeway for kids. “I think that we’re creating robots,” parenting expert Melissa Gerstein says, adding “I think that we have to be a little flexible,” However, that is not the case. Students should not be taught to be dependent on others all the time.

People inevitably make mistakes and forget things, but we learn from experience. It is important that teens prepare themselves for life and possible consequences. Of course nobody is perfect, but we all learn lessons in making mistakes and that’s something to be said for.