10 Awful Parenting Trends That Need to End Now: Parenting is one of the most rewarding yet challenging jobs, and every generation faces its own set of trends. While some modern approaches to parenting can be helpful, others are less beneficial and may even hinder children’s growth and development. As the editor of StarAvis.com and a parent who’s observed the changing tides of parenting advice, I’ve seen certain trends that are counterproductive or damaging. Here are 10 awful parenting trends that need to end now.
1. Over-Scheduling Kids’ Lives
Why It’s Harmful:
Many parents feel pressured to fill every minute of their child’s day with structured activities like sports, music lessons, and tutoring. While extracurriculars are beneficial, over-scheduling leaves little time for free play, relaxation, and creativity. Kids need downtime to unwind and explore their interests naturally.
How to Fix It:
- Strike a balance between structured activities and free time. Let your child choose activities they genuinely enjoy and avoid overloading their schedule.
- Make room for unstructured playtime, which is vital for cognitive and emotional development.
2. Helicopter Parenting
Why It’s Harmful:
Helicopter parenting refers to parents who are overly involved in their child’s life, constantly hovering to manage every aspect. This micromanaging stifles a child’s independence and can lead to anxiety, low self-confidence, and poor problem-solving skills.
How to Fix It:
- Give your kids the freedom to make decisions, solve problems, and learn from mistakes. They’ll develop essential life skills through experience.
- Encourage age-appropriate independence, such as letting younger kids choose their own clothes or older kids plan their homework schedules.
3. Snowplow Parenting
Why It’s Harmful:
Similar to helicopter parenting, snowplow parents clear any obstacles from their child’s path to ensure they never experience failure or hardship. While well-intentioned, this trend robs kids of resilience and the ability to cope with challenges.
How to Fix It:
- Allow your child to face age-appropriate struggles. Let them fail, and be there to support them as they learn to overcome difficulties.
- Teach problem-solving skills rather than fixing everything for them.
4. Over-Reliance on Screen Time
Why It’s Harmful:
Screens have become a convenient way to keep kids entertained, but excessive screen time can negatively impact a child’s physical, social, and cognitive development. It reduces face-to-face interactions, physical activity, and imaginative play.
How to Fix It:
- Set limits on screen time and encourage outdoor play, reading, and hands-on activities.
- Model healthy screen habits by reducing your own screen time when around your children.
5. Over-Praising
Why It’s Harmful:
Constantly praising children, especially for basic tasks or participation, can lead to entitlement and a fear of failure. Kids may become dependent on external validation rather than developing intrinsic motivation.
How to Fix It:
- Offer specific, meaningful praise when it’s truly deserved, focusing on effort rather than just results. For example, “I’m proud of how hard you worked on that project.”
- Teach your child that failure is part of learning and that hard work and perseverance matter more than always winning or being the best.
6. Sharing Too Much on Social Media (Sharenting)
Why It’s Harmful:
Many parents post every milestone, event, and detail of their child’s life on social media, but this oversharing (known as “sharenting”) can invade a child’s privacy and create a digital footprint they didn’t consent to. It may also expose them to online risks.
How to Fix It:
- Be mindful of what you post about your children, considering their future privacy and digital presence.
- Ask yourself if your child would want this shared publicly or wait until they’re old enough to give consent for posts about them.
7. Gentle Parenting Gone Wrong
Why It’s Harmful:
While gentle parenting focuses on empathy and respect, some parents misinterpret it as avoiding discipline altogether. This leads to children growing up without understanding boundaries or consequences, which can result in behavioral issues.
How to Fix It:
- Practice gentle discipline by setting clear, firm boundaries with consistent, age-appropriate consequences. Gentle doesn’t mean permissive.
- Use positive reinforcement to encourage good behavior while teaching kids that actions have consequences.
8. Competitive Parenting
Why It’s Harmful:
Many parents feel pressured to compete with others, whether it’s enrolling their child in the “best” preschool or boasting about accomplishments online. This can create unnecessary stress for both parents and children, leading to feelings of inadequacy.
How to Fix It:
- Focus on your child’s unique strengths and interests rather than comparing them to others.
- Remember that every child develops at their own pace, and there’s no need to follow someone else’s timeline or achievements.
9. Overindulging Kids
Why It’s Harmful:
Overindulging children with toys, gadgets, or giving in to every demand teaches them to expect instant gratification. This can lead to entitlement, lack of appreciation, and difficulty coping with delayed rewards.
How to Fix It:
- Set clear boundaries and say “no” when necessary. Teach your kids to earn privileges rather than expecting them automatically.
- Encourage gratitude by involving your child in giving back, whether it’s donating toys or volunteering together.
10. Ignoring Mental Health Needs
Why It’s Harmful:
Many parents still overlook or dismiss the importance of children’s mental health, assuming that kids don’t experience serious emotional or psychological issues. Ignoring signs of anxiety, depression, or behavioral problems can have long-lasting effects.
How to Fix It:
- Take your child’s mental health seriously. Be open to discussions about their feelings and emotions, and seek professional help if needed.
- Encourage emotional literacy by teaching kids to identify and express their emotions in healthy ways.
10 Awful Parenting Trends That Need to End Now
Parenting trends come and go, but it’s important to evaluate whether certain practices truly benefit our children in the long run. By recognizing and moving away from these harmful trends, we can focus on raising well-rounded, resilient, and independent kids. At StarAvis.com, we believe that thoughtful, balanced parenting is key to helping children thrive in today’s world.
