Too Much Advice Is Making Us Worse at Parenting
Briefly

Too Much Advice Is Making Us Worse at Parenting
"Can you see the ways that external advice can exacerbate parental anxiety by creating unrealistic standards and fueling a sense of inadequacy? It isn't that it causes parental anxiety, per se, as parenting is naturally full of protective urges, but it certainly has played a significant part in amplifying parental overwhelm."
"Much of how I think about this has been shaped by Murray Bowen's family systems theory, which highlights the impact parents have on emotional dynamics—not through techniques but through their own functioning."
"For over a century, external advice and marketing have entered the parenting space, amplifying fears around children's safety, education, and emotional well-being. This sits alongside many broader social changes, and not all of it has been negative."
Parental anxiety can be exacerbated by excessive expert advice, which creates unrealistic standards and feelings of inadequacy. Parenting has evolved from a relationship to a child-focused project, leading to increased overwhelm among parents. The influence of external advice and marketing has intensified fears regarding children's safety and well-being. This shift has been noted historically, indicating a correlation between expert advice and uncertain parenting. Less information may enable parents to function more effectively and alleviate some of the anxiety they experience.
Read at Psychology Today
Unable to calculate read time
[
|
]