We all want our children to feel good about themselves. Confident, well-adjusted children turn into confident, satisfied and successful adults. But in the quest for the perfect way to raise a child, some parents end up creating little princes and princesses, rather than resilient kids who can weather the storms of life and be kind in the bargain.
You’ve all seen them. The parent who asks her precious middle school child what he wants for breakfast, prepared to be a short-order cook set to provide bacon and eggs to waffles, omelets to Nutella on toast, and delivers it to him in front of his video game. Then there’s the trophy room dad, the one who has repurposed his study to be a childhood accomplishment shrine. These parents endlessly boast to their friends and acquaintances, and they can make you feel like you’re doing everything wrong as a parent.
