Parents often have a difficult time with letting go of their "caregiver" role and continue to do things for their Preschoolers when the children are capable of doing things for themselves. I often observe this with dressing and undressing routines, where parents help with shoes, coats, hats etc. when their children should be encouraged to be independent and at least try to do what they are capable of. Teacher Tom has a post on his blog that addresses this issue with play. It is an interesting read.
Teacher Tom: Not Helping
