How far will parents go to protect their kids?

I've been doing this parent thing for quite a while now, 9 years to be exact, and I've always been a bit over protecting when it comes to my children.

I wash their hands, keep them warm, make sure vaccines are up to date, etc. if you ask my husband he will agree that I'm a bit "too much" since I'm always the first one to rush to the doctor at the slightest sound of a cough. I won't apologize since I think I'm doing what it's best for them (don't we all!).

But even i would agree that everything has its limits. My whole family moved to the Dominican Republic about a year ago. I've been exposed to a different culture that I had forgotten about. This week as I travel to Miami, Florida, I couldn't help but to stared at people I encounter. I lived in the US for over 12 years and I'M very familiar with the different cultures the are in US and very comfortable with them. To sum it all up, nothing surprises me anymore.

But since I have not been around for a while I felt like I was entering a new world, one that fascinated me...

I came across this family, no idea where there are from, just know they were Caucasian, mom, dad and child. The kid must had been 4 or 5 years old tops. He was out of the stroller and it was obvious that he wanted to walk around. He wasn't running around, he wasn't being curios or rebel, he just seen glad he was on his feet.

The mom was focused on picking up her son, she was obviously insisting on carrying him despite the fact that he was on a stand still. There was no eminent danger since we were at the mall, no entrance near by, no cars crossing, no weird looking folks around ( at least not weirder than the ones that are always there). But she was insisting on picking him up. And as she was doing that I could help but notice a tag hanging from the kids pants.

It was about the size of an index card and it said his name, parents name, address, phone number, email address, EVERYTHING.

I have to admit it was more than I had seen, to me a protecting mom that was just tooooooo much! I know first hand what it is to fear your child ever getting lost and don't even want to think of the idea of never seem them again. I've thought my older one our address and phone numbers, her full name, etc. but from there to tag them?

I can help but wonder how far will us parents go to keep them "safe"?