Parenting is Hard, and So is Growing Up
Everyone knows that parenting is hard. It’s full of nuances, stress, and tough decisions, but do parents have to be so clueless? You can’t choose your parents, but hopefully, you can get them to stop doing these 20 annoying things.
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1. Being Overprotective
Every parent worries about their kids. But when the worry becomes so all-encompassing that your child has no independence, it’s suffocating and creates strain in your relationship.
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2. Constantly Comparing
Comparing your children to each other or anyone else is damaging to their self-esteem. Instead, embrace each of your kids’ uniqueness.
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3. Giving Unsolicited Advice
It’s understandable to want to bestow your wisdom on your child. However, sometimes it’s unwanted and can be overwhelming to receive.
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4. Nagging
Nagging is an expected part of parenting and instills good habits when completing chores and other tasks. However, too much of it makes your child form a negative association with you.
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5. Not Respecting Boundaries
Don’t be a helicopter parent. No matter how close you are to your child, don’t forget to respect their boundaries, especially when they enter their teen years, privacy is paramount to their personal growth.
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6. Bringing Up the Past
Bringing up the past is a great way to make your kid’s cheeks turn scarlet, especially if you bring up past mistakes or potentially embarrassing moments. Something that’s a cute or funny story to you might not be to your child.
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7. Oversharing
We’ve all had the embarrassing experience of hearing our parents talk about us too much. This is invasive and causes a breakdown in your child’s trust and open communication.
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8. Ignoring Preferences
Not taking into consideration or ignoring your child’s preferences even when it comes to small things like food and clothing is irritating and hurtful. It makes your child think you don’t care about or listen to them.
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9. Making Unwanted Plans
Making plans for your child without asking first isn’t respectful of their time and independent life. It can be infuriating and cause conflict.
10. Criticizing Your Child’s Appearance
It’s normal for kids to receive some flak from their parents about how they dress or do their hair. However, being too critical can hurt their self-esteem, especially if it’s targeted at areas they already feel self-conscious about.
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11. Force Feeding Your Kids
“Eat! You don’t look good!”–said so many moms since the beginning of time. Trust your child to nourish themselves. Being told to eat more all the time is heartwarming, but also exhasperating.
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12. Expecting Constant Updates
A parent-child relationship isn’t a balanced one–they may be the center of your world but you aren’t necessarily the center of theirs. It’s not always realistic to expect constant updates.
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13. Living Vicariously Through Their Kids
It’s normal to want your kid to have all you had and more. However, don’t forget they’re their own person. Give them the space to explore the things they want to do.
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14. Overloading with Guilt
Using guilt trips like “you never call me” isn’t a nice way to get what you want from your child. It’s no wonder they don’t call if you make them feel guilty every time they talk to you.
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15. Being Clueless with Technology
It’s hard to keep up with technology; however, your child is not your IT guy. Constantly bombarding them with questions about how to work your iPad gets annoying.
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16. Acting Passive-Aggressively
Whether it’s using the silent treatment, or sarcasm, passive-aggressive behavior adds stress to the situation and is quite frankly childish. Isn’t the parent supposed to be the adult?
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17. Being Too Restrictive
It may come from a good place, but being too restrictive on your child will make them feel imprisoned. It’s a hindrance to their personal growth and can cause anger and negativity towards you.
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18. Overloading with Expectations
No one wants to disappoint their parents. If you overload your kids with expectations, they’ll feel inadequate. It’s discouraging and can lead them on a path of self-destruction.
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19. Being Judgemental of Life Choices
No, parents don’t always know best. Judging life choices from career and education to managing finances can cause resentment, anxiety, and strain in the family.
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20. Being Overly Critical of Partners
It’s not a parent’s decision who their child decides to date, and judging their spouse adds stress to their relationship with you. Don’t be a monster-in-law!
