They say raising children is one of the most difficult but rewarding experiences in the world, and most parents would like to think that they're doing a good job.
But of course, nobody's perfect and try as we might, we all make mistakes.
Whether it's losing our cool a little too quickly, or completely over-indulging our little ones, it's easy to attribute certain parenting bad habits to behaviour in children later in life.
The discussion on what parenting techniques in particular can effect children's personalities as they grow up became a hot topic on one Reddit thread, with many users sharing their opinions on the big do's and dont's.
Are you guilty of any of these parenting supposed 'slip-ups'?
1. Refusing to admit being in the wrong
'I don't understand why this is so hard for adults. Your kids won't think less of you for being wrong sometimes. They already know you're wrong sometimes. They lose more respect for you if you refuse to admit it than they do if you make a mistake.'
2. Being over protective
'Of course there are always some things that need to be tightly watched around kids, but when you shield your child from every possible inconvenience they'll end up either spoiled or overly dependent.'
3. Mollycoddling
'I am not proud of this by any means, but I am currently 21 and I have no idea how to do just about anything because of my parents. They always had some 'what i' story made up for when I wanted to do things. Now that I am older I have no idea how to do anything and have to ask for help to learn the simplest things.'
4. Being a totally 'hands-free' parent
'Giving a kid freedom as a teenager is key. However, giving a kid so much freedom that you essentially check out from any sort of parental role is bad parenting that ultimately leads to the kid trying to make life decisions without any real guidance and somewhat f***s up their life.'
5. Not finding the balance
Yes - it's all about balance. Enough rules and routine that the kids grow up feeling safe, building a good work ethic, but enough flexibility and freedom that kids learn how to go with the flow of things when plans suddenly change, and learns how to deal with 'mistakes/failures' and less than ideal outcomes.'
6. Seeming unapproachable
You can be present in your kids' lives all you want. You can tell them what's right and wrong and give them tools and privileges. But if you just talk morals, talk lessons, and talk everyday-sh*t without giving yourself a chance to listen to what they have to say, you make yourself unapproachable. They will resort to look elsewhere for help if something personal happens to them, whether it be the Internet, friends, etc. If you take your children seriously, they will take you seriously as well.
7. Being hygiene obsessed
The parents that make sure their kids use hand sanitiser all the time and stay away from germs usually produce sickly kids. Your body should take in a little bad stuff from time to time so it knows how to fight against it. Some bacteria is good bacteria and you just killed 99.99% of it.
Can you identify with any of these 'bad parenting habits'? Let us know in the comments below
