Encouraging children to meet a checklist of achievements can lead to parental pride being inaccurately tied to their children's accomplishments. This creates a harmful dynamic where parents equate their self-esteem with their children’s successes, viewing them as trophies rather than individuals. Recognizing the dangers of this mindset is crucial for fostering a healthy parent-child relationship.
Rosy had a packed schedule of lunches, meet-ups and activities - and she was only three. Mom Michaeleen Doucleff felt she couldn't waste a second of her daughter's time. Rosy needed to be constantly lectured and stimulated if she was going to reach the Ivy League.
This style of parenting was exhausting both mother and daughter, until Michaeleen found that not everyone approaches child-rearing in this way. She tells Dr Laurie Santos how she forged a happier and more relaxed relationship with Rosy - that benefited them both.
Formed Stanford dean Julie Lythcott-Haims explores how "overparenting" has taken hold in recent decades and why it needs to be challenged.
Further reading:
Michaeleen Doucleff - Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy Helpful Humans.
Malcolm Harris - Kids These Days: Human Capital and the Making of Millennials
Julie Lythcott-Haims - How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success.
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