10 Reasons Why Strict Parenting isn’t Helping your Child

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

10 Reasons Why Strict Parenting Isn’t Helping your Child

While a child is still growing emotionally and intellectually, strict parenting can lead to various problems. There are numerous parenting philosophies from which to pick when rearing your kids, and there isn’t one that is universally “right” or “wrong” and effective for everyone. Finding parenting methods that suit our children’s distinct personalities and our own particular lifestyles is often a challenge when we have young children.

There seem to be a number of drawbacks to strict parenting after researching the different parenting styles. When a strict parent raises a child, the emphasis is frequently placed on how they can make the parent happy enough to “not be in trouble,” rather than attempting to create a joyful, healthy home environment oriented around the child’s needs.

Many parents think that being tough with their children may have more control over them and gain their children’s respect, which will serve as a strong basis for future respect.  But this is not right.

Do strict parents raise better kids?

We must consider the many approaches to discipline in order to provide a response to this query. Parents can fall into one of four categories: authoritarian, authoritative, indulgent/permissive, or uninvolved/neglectful. These categories are frequently mentioned by psychologists when discussing parenting.

Researchers frequently consider how accommodating and demanding each type of parent has been while conducting studies analysing parenting styles and their effects. How quickly a parent responds to their child’s needs can be characterised as responsiveness. What a parent expects from their child in terms of behaviour is typically reflected in how demanding they are.

Children cannot flourish in such a setting. The environment for the child is generally harsh and harmful since they feel abandoned and unloved. A child develops depression as a result. So, why isn’t strict parenting helping your child?

1. A child’s self-esteem is lowered by a strict parent 

Photo by Karolina by Pexels

According to research, kids who have full parental control over them are less confident in themselves. A child’s confidence is severely damaged by this.

Since the parent is the one who sets the child’s expectations and makes them feel unimportant, This shapes the child’s general perception of himself or herself, leading to an inaccurate assessment of their capacities and limitations. A child will thus lack an understanding of their own value and worth.

2. It can make a child a bully

Photo by Mikhail Nilov from Pexels

Parents who are strict have authority. The child will end up bullying others because no one close to them will warn them that it is wrong. This is due to the fact that they are accustomed to bullying and that doing it themselves gives them authority and power—things they have never had and that only their parents fully possessed.

A child’s surroundings greatly influence their personality and moral character. A child who is raised in a strict family will grow up to be more controlling and screaming, which increases their likelihood of bullying other kids.

3. It leads to poor communication

Photo by August de Richelieu from Pexels

Parents and children should communicate with each other in both directions. Effective communication will not occur if children do not feel that their parents are approachable or warm. This is so that a child won’t ever be terrified of what will happen if they speak their opinions and are chastised by their parents.

Parents should welcome their kids since they are their guardians. If they are not, communication issues will arise and, in time, the parent’s presence may be ignored. When faced with challenges, a youngster will go to others for acceptance or guidance, who may mislead him or her. The kids view the parent as being disengaged parent.

4. It can cause a minor to commit a crime

The reasons why minors commit crimes can vary widely. Unbroken families, poor communication, and a lack of moral education are a few of them. The fact that these are strict parenting characteristics makes them one of their drawbacks.

Authoritarian parenting is considerably different from permissive parenting in the way it raises children. Children lack moral and social training, making it challenging for them to distinguish themselves from illegal actions. Since they are unable to learn moral and ethical principles from their parents, they wind up seeking comfort in other things like drugs and alcohol, which cloud their judgement and lead them to engage in criminal conduct and activities.

5. Children may end up lying

If the child’s strict parents find out what actually happened and don’t like it, they would probably discipline them. A child may end up lying to them since this develops into a habit, hoping to escape the repercussions.

The priority of talking to their children is punishment for strict parents. Their kids will choose to lie because they know that the only thing they can expect in return is punishment. It will be impossible to determine the truth if these kids turn out to be serial liars.

6. Strict parenting interferes with children’s creativity 

Photo by Ksenia Chernaya from Pexels

Young people are imaginative and curious. They are able to pick up new information quickly because they have an open mind and are willing to take risks while they are learning something new.

Strict parents often demand and direct their children’s behaviour. The child’s excitement and creativity gradually dwindle as a result. It denies them the chance to use their imagination. They are completely under the authority of their parents and are unable to speak for themselves.

7. It can cause rebellion 

The drawbacks of strict parenting include this one more. Your child will grow up and leave the nest eventually. One day, when he or she is an adult, they will either live alone or start their own family. A parent’s influence over his child is just momentary.

Growing up, a child may choose to put space between themselves and their parents, allowing them to behave independently or more impulsively without considering the effects of their actions. From a young age, children become rebellious due to a lack of autonomy. The bond between parents and young adults is severely harmed by this.

8. Strict parenting causes blind obedience 

Children with strict parents are good at obeying rules and don’t question authority when they should. They are more prone to blind obedience as a result.

Without considering whether it is appropriate to do so, they will follow others. A child finds it challenging to become independent, even in making decisions, under strict parenting. Children learn that authority figures must be treated with complete respect.

9. Can create serious anger issues

As they progress through their developmental phases, children naturally engage in activities such as making crafts, being silly, and playing.

A child won’t be able to participate in such activities in a rigid home, which diminishes the enjoyment and happiness of being a youngster. In some cases, without the parents’ knowledge, this causes a youngster to feel irate and develop resentment and animosity toward them.

10. Strict parenting can cause depression

The major downside of strict parenting is this. Children can develop anxiety and depressive disorders much like adults. Because they believe their families have some sort of flaw, children with strict parents may occasionally feel inadequate or even somewhat depressed. These kids feel uncomfortable and sad since they feel like they don’t belong there as a result.

What you should be aware of

Being strict with your child will hurt them in the long term, as a parent you should be aware of this. It is important to speak lovingly and affectionately to children. Parenting has an impact on a child’s life, therefore as a parent, you should make sure that it has a beneficial impact on your child.

An independent, responsible, and morally upright child is the result of authoritative parenting. Children should be allowed to self-regulate their actions and decisions, with guidance when needed.