tied to (one's) apron strings
Controlled or dominated by one. Used especially in reference to a man controlled by a woman. I'm worried that my husband will forever be tied to his mother's apron strings—he's a grown man but still does every little thing she asks! Can you make a decision on your own, or are you tied to her apron strings?
tied to his mother's apron strings
Momma's boy. An adult male deeply attached to his mother, dating from the era when mothers (and other homemakers and housekeepers) wore aprons.