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Apron Strings

I had always assumed that when they said someone was "tied to his mother's apron strings," they meant he was very timid, hiding behind his mother and not thinking for himself. I never thought (until today) that it might actually involve a real apron, and some tying of an actual child to some actual apron strings.

From the free dictionary: if someone, usually a man, is tied to their mother's apron strings, they still need their mother and cannot think or act independently.

Which is to say, that since Luke is definitely not "tied to his mother's apron strings," it might be useful to tie him to his mother's apron strings.
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