An excerpt fro Parenting with an Attitude....21 Questions Successful Parents Ask Themselves

September 25, 2009

Do I excessively protect my kids?

Virtually all of the experiences and relationships we have had during the course of our lifetime have an influence on our outlook, our behaviors, and our attitudes—
and ultimately, on our role as parents. So it is natural for a parent who as a child may have experienced any form of traumatic experience, to err in the direction of being an overprotective parent to their own kids.

It is also understandable, since childhood patterns have a way of
following us into our adult lives, that if our parents were overprotective,
we will be more likely to be the same. It is important however, to remember that we can make new decisions in spite of our past experiences.

In order to avoid becoming an overprotective parent, it is helpful to
understand our past experiences and relationships. Otherwise we run the risk of robbing our children of the opportunity to live life to its fullest. As is so often the case, all of this is easier said than done, but it is nonetheless an important
goal for all parents to strive for. If it is our goal to raise healthy kids, then
we must not hold them back because of our irrational and displaced fears.

Discussion questions

1. Were your parents overprotective with you as a child?

2. If they were, how did their overprotective behavior affect you
as a child?

3. What affect might their overprotection be having on you
today?

4. As a parent, are you overprotective with your kids, or do you
provide them with appropriate and necessary safety?

5. How would the friends who know you best answer that
question?

6. If you are an overprotective parent, what possible fears might
lie behind your behavior?

7. If you are an overprotective parent, is unrealistic fear or a lack
of self-confidence showing up in your kids?