Overparenting essentially means you are attempting to micromanage your child’s life. While most moms and dads who overparent have good intentions, this suffocating style can negatively affect kids.
Research suggests overparenting can stunt a child’s development and cause them to become too dependent. But how do you know if you are overparenting your child? The first sign: you get into frequent power struggles with your child. You demand that they follow your instructions instead of letting them make choices on their own. Another sign, you won’t let your child fail. Jumping to your child’s rescue when they struggle won’t help them learn from their mistakes.
Extreme responsiveness to your child’s needs is another sign of overparenting. Trying to make your child happy all the time or giving too much praise are examples of this as well. Excessive worry about your child is another sign to watch out for. And overindulging kids can also be a red flag. For instance, not assigning your kids chores or sparing them from responsibility can harm them in the long run.
Researchers found that overparenting techniques can lead to a lack of resilience, a sense of entitlement, high parental anxiety, and an inadequate development of life skills.
