Power of Parents ® Middle School Handbook
Chapter 3
Child becomes more rebellious and breaks another rule
Parent imposes a strict rule
Once the child gets to their breaking point, feeling as if they could never satisfy their parent, they give up trying and the authoritarian parents lose their influence. Research shows: Kids who feel threatened by their parents may behave well when the threatening parent is nearby but act out when that parent is gone. Children of authoritarian parents are less likely to develop internalized values that equip them to make wise decisions.
Cycle of Rebellion
Parent punishes child
Child defies rule
Research shows: Youth with overprotective parents may struggle with decision-making and independence, making them more vulnerable to peer pressure and risky behaviors.
• They rescue their children from dealing with any harsh reality. For example, instead of helping children understand difficult homework assignments, overprotective parents actually do the work for them. This leaves a child poorly prepared to deal with the realities of adult life. Overprotected children lack experience and may panic in stressful situations. This could present an issue for a child who doesn’t feel empowered to say no when offered alcohol or other substances, or they assume their parent is being “over the top” when they stress their fears about the dangers of underage substance use.
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