5 Signs You Are Over Parenting

It is every one’s goal to be or end up being a perfect parent, (if such a thing even exists). However, in the quest to become a better parent, you maybe overdoing things a bit – leading to what is commonly referred to as over parenting. Are you guilty of this? Here are some tell-tale signs that can indicate that you are:

1. You Praise Profusely

Once a parent starts to praise a child excessively, this shows that your parenting is tilting towards overbearing and not balanced as it should be. Yes, children need encouragement and praise often, but sometimes parents may go over the top and praise them every single time they do something. If it’s repeatedly for the same thing they’ve already mastered and done 1,000 times, you are doing them a huge disservice.

2. You Offer Too Many Material Rewards

Similar to offering too much of praise, some parents spoil their children with too many material things. It may be nothing to you, but in the end, you are making your children less appreciative of the world around them. Parents must strive to raise grateful children in a very materialistic world.

3.You Have Low Expectations

Most parents do not like to give their children too many responsibilities, because they feel they have enough responsibilities, especially during school session. However, an ill-fated result of not expecting a lot from children is that parents might do too much for them, cutting out the opportunity for them to learn life skills first hand.

4.You Dole Out Few Responsibilities

Responsibility comes with learning how to handle little things. Increasing responsibilities and doing less for your children can give them the best possible chance at becoming self-sufficient, independent adults. When you educate your children about their responsibilities,  be sure they understand that they’re not being asked to do things because you are a task master, but rather because you live together, and share both the work and the pleasure of having your own home.

5. You Help Without Being Asked

Most parents would help their children in the blink of an eye even when the child doesn’t need it, but several studies have advised that parents would be wise to step back and wait to offer help until children ask for it. It is in a parent’s nature to want to help their children, however, don’t do something for your child that he or she is capable of doing for themselves.
When you let your child make decisions and help themselves, you may find that they are more resourceful than you initially thought.