
- Always blame the teacher, coach, or other people whenever your child gets in trouble, so they never learn to take responsibility.
- Believe your child, without question, even when all evidence shows differently, so they never learn honesty or accountability.
- Do everything for them, so they never learn how to do things on their own.
- Fight all their battles, so they never learn to express themselves clearly or stand up for what they believe in.
- Give them rewards for nothing, so they learn to expect praise without effort.
- Give them everything they want, so they never learn to choose wisely or work hard to earn something.
- Ignore your child’s bad behavior, or excuse it with “they’re just tired” or “kids will be kids,” so they never learn right from wrong.
- Let your partner treat you poorly in front of them, so they learn that abuse, disrespect, threats, and violence are a normal part of a “loving” relationship.
- Micromanage their every move, so they never learn independence or confidence.
- Never set boundaries, and let them make the rules, so they never learn respect for authority or limits.
- When you do give them a consequence, let them whine until you give in, so they never learn that rules matter.
- Never let them fail, so they never learn resilience or how to recover from setbacks.
- Protect them from uncomfortable feelings like disappointment, boredom, or frustration, so they never learn how to cope.
- Protect them from consequences, even when they deserve them, so they never learn that actions have results.
- Put their happiness above all else, even if it means letting them disrespect others, so they never learn empathy or consideration.
- Share adult burdens with them, like your financial, emotional, or relationship problems, so they never learn healthy boundaries.
- Solve all their problems for them, so they never learn problem-solving skills or perseverance.
- Treat them like your best friend instead of your child, so they never learn to respect authority or feel secure.
- Compare them to other kids, so they never learn to value their own unique strengths.
- Never apologize when you’re wrong, so they never learn humility or how to repair relationships.
Just follow these 20 steps, and you’ll have a 30-year-old who can’t fill out a job application and still relies on you for video game subscriptions.
Here are some other articles you might enjoy:
When the Table Was Full – Jan Mariet’s A Day in the Life
Skirts, Sneakers, & Sports – Jan Mariet’s A Day in the Life
“Life Unworthy of Living” Response – Jan Mariet’s A Day in the Life