Risks of Complusive Parenting
Posted: September 21, 2009Source: Dr James Dobson
We have spoken on several occasions about parents who couldn’t care less about their children but today I want to address those at the other end of the continuum, referring to mothers and fathers for whom the kids are the only important thing in their life.
They cannot spare the time for recreational, romantic or restful activities because to do so would make them feel guilty. Now, I do not question the motives behind this commitment to children but super-parenting can cause several serious problems.
First, it may lead in some cases to overprotection, permissiveness and prolonged dependency. Second, it can lead to a state of emotional and physical exhaustion known as parental burnout. Then the entire family suffers, particularly the children whom the effort was invested in the first place. Third, super-parenting can also be destructive to a marriagem especially when only one parnet is so inclined.
Moderation is the key to a healthy family life, even in one’s approach to parenting.
