The Best Definition of Over-Parenting I’ve Seen
- August 16, 2012
- by Melissa Lawrence
Terms like over-parenting, intense parenting, and helicopter parenting are thrown around a lot these days, but it can be tough to articulate what the really mean. Usually I find when it comes to over-parenting, you know it when you see it (or catch yourself doing it!), but today I read a great definition from psychologist and author Madeline Levine in an interview with the Huffington Post that I wanted to share:
“When I say overparenting is not a great idea, I’m really talking about three things: Don’t do for your kid what they can already do. Don’t do for your kid what they can almost do, because that’s where they have those successful failures. Sometimes they make it; sometimes they don’t — but that’s where they learn. And don’t do for your kids out of your needs, not theirs. That’s my quick definition of overparenting.”
Love that! Reading about Levine’s new book, “Teach Your Children Well: Parenting for Authentic Success,” has already inspired me to make some changes in my parenting (check out my video on the topic here), and I’m definitely going to take her advice to heart.
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