We are all familiar with the phrase “living under a glass dome,” which does not have a positive meaning in popular culture. Every child’s desire is to be free to move, play, and explore the world around them. Restricting and taking away that freedom can negatively affect a child’s development and self-confidence.
Parents who overprotect their children often say: “No, don’t touch that, don’t go far, you can’t do it alone.” Compared to their peers, an overprotected child is excessively attached to their parents, dependent, withdrawn, and passive. The reason for this is precisely that parents “control” them too much and the child lacks developed self-confidence. Parents do everything for them, believing they cannot do it themselves or are still too young.
An overprotected child has an inaccurate perception of themselves, their abilities, and sees the world as a dangerous place. They are passive because they fear they are not capable of doing something. They are attached to their parents and expect them to take care of everything. Children raised this way are often selfish, hard to motivate, and have difficulty forming relationships with others. Throughout life, parents want the best for their child, but the child must face difficulties, experience ups and downs, and tackle problems. Parents should not “fight the child’s battles” or solve their conflicts with peers but must allow the child to feel negative emotions and learn to control them. Children must not be deprived of life experiences because they learn from them.
This type of relationship with a child is typical of parents who have various fears. They are constantly afraid for their child’s life and health. Parents are often unaware that such behavior is harmful to their child and may take even well-meaning advice as criticism or an attack on their parenting style. Only the parents know the reasons behind their fears, which often stem from experiencing some trauma. These parents love their children very much and often say they are not overprotective but responsible. They do not distinguish between love and worry and have irrational fears. To overcome the fears that underlie this type of parenting, it is necessary to confront them.