Are western parents so clingy to their kids?

They were walking around the grounds of their house, looking at a neighbor's house and started screaming and running bec their kid went exploring around the grounds. I mean, is he not allowed to go out and play unless there are adults around? After their experience, does she want to teach him to fear the outside world (even though they were attacked in their home)? Just weird that their reaction was treated normally like it was the usual thing to be done. He is what 12-13? If he was 5-6, I'd understand their reaction but that kid is old enough to be in highschool in my country. I started highschool at 13, my friend started at 11. But they treated the boy as if he was a 5yr old still wearing diapers and a pacifier.