Can Overprotective Parenting Inhibit a Toddler's Development?

All parents want only the best for their toddler, but overprotective parents might let their concerns for their child's safety and emotional health override rational parenting. An overprotective mother might not allow her toddler to examine the bugs under a rock or roll down a hill. An overprotective father might inadvertently teach his toddler that she is not capable of making sound decisions by stepping in and solving any minor problem she encounters. While the intentions of these parents are good, their actions might cause their toddler's development to be stifled.

  1. Exploration

    • Toddlers learn about how things work by exploring their world, but overprotective parents might limit their toddler's explorations. An overprotective parent might worry that her toddler will get hurt if she splashes in a creek or tries to climb up a ladder on a playground. Another parent might insist that his toddler remain safely enclosed in their fenced backyard instead of exploring a nearby park. While it is natural to limit a toddler's boundless curiosity if dangers are involved, discouraging exploration robs young children of an opportunity to discover new interests.

    Socialization

    • Parents might hover over their toddler's social development for a number of reasons. They might be afraid she will get her feelings hurt by older or more aggressive children, or parents might have bad memories of being hurt during their own childhood. Whatever the reason, a toddler who is not encouraged or allowed to socialize misses out on the opportunity to develop new relationships and learn to get along with new people. An overprotected child also doesn't get a chance to develop coping skills, an unfortunate characteristic typical of kids who suffer from bullying during later years in school, according to the National Association of School Psychologists.

    Irrational Fears

    • School shootings and child abductions are widely publicized in the news. Parents of a toddler might become irrationally scared of something happening to their own child after hearing about a dangerous situation, although KidsHealth.org reports that abductions are very uncommon and rarely involve toddlers. These fears might cause some parents to become extremely overprotective, constantly hovering over their toddler in fear of something terrible happening or withdrawing him from preschool to help ensure his safety. While those fears are natural and not without merit, overprotectiveness is not healthy for toddlers or parents. Toddlers are likely able to sense parental anxiety and might begin to display symptoms of it themselves.

    Risk Avoidance

    • Overprotective parents might not allow their toddler to take calculated risks, such as trying to climb a ladder on a playground or go down a steep slide. Their constant hovering might actually make injury more likely, if the child begins to ignore internal safety cues. While their intentions are good, parents might be unwittingly setting their child up for anxiety later in life, according to MayoClinic.com. When an overprotective parent does not allow her child to take risks, she learns to avoid unknown situations because of a potential for danger. She is more likely to fear stepping outside of her comfort zone as she becomes more aware of the potential for danger.

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