Parent shaming DAMAGES CHILDREN

Intensive parenting has become the latest target of parent shaming. Having been instructed to constantly su-pervise their children, parents are now being lectured about the dangers of doing just that.

- FRANKFUREDI

Those who "over-parent" their offspring are being denounced for producing spoiled children, who cannot cope with the challenges of life. Numerous books lecture mothers and fathers to give more space to their children.

Intensive parenting was previously advocated as the solution to problems and associated fears confronting children, but it has recently become a threat to the healthy development of young people. In recent times, "over-parenting" or "helicopter parenting"become the new target of blame.

A recent study, published in Development Psychology, concluded that "children with helicopter parents may be less able to deal with the challenging demands of growing up, especially with navigating the complex school environment". Some go so far as to associate the mental health crisis afflicting colleges and universities to a "generation of parents riddled with fear".

SHAME ON YOU

Shaming parents for the way they are raising their children is nothing new. Parent shaming and blaming has long been a recurring theme in expert narratives on child-rearing. In the 19th century, parents were frequently accused of lacking the moral and intellectual resources necessary to bring up children. They were also frequently castigated for setting a bad example for their children.