Effects Of Parental Pressure On Children

Britti Aryal

Parental pressure is often linked to a parent’s perception of success in different areas of life. As a parent, you always want your child to be happy and successful. With this aim, many parents pressure their children to follow their suggested path. The emotional stress parents keep imposing upon their children regarding their academic choices, career choices, socio-cultural choices, or any other life choices, not only makes the children emotionally weak but also affects their mental health. Inappropriate parental pressure carries many health-related consequences for children as they grow up. Enforcing the children to be as human as you want, rather than encouraging them for what they want to do or who they want to be just affects the child’s self-esteem. Every child is their person and your definition of happiness and success may not be plausible for your children.  

As a parent, you always wish the best for your child and you keep on setting the best goals for them. But your expectations might go beyond your child’s capabilities sometimes. Your child might not have an interest in the field you choose for them and this might stress them. Sometimes parents even try to employ their incomplete dreams in their children, making them more anxious.  The fear of losing their parent's dream makes children more furious. The feeling of being worthless makes them more tempered and angry, giving rise to various kinds of mental illness. The continuous pressure from the parents regarding various situations negatively affects a kid’s psychological as well as physical health, increasing the risk of disorders like depression, sleep deprivation, eating disorders, and many more and every parent needs to understand this. 

Comparing your child with others and questioning their ability is wrong. Coercing your child to react in the way other kids react and forcing them to follow the same paths as others makes the child lose their confidence.  Academically constraining the school child to do well in all subjects and pass with excellent grades is developing an academic fear in students resulting in self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Every child is different and as a parent, you have to respect your child’s decision. Although the pressure is based on good intentions, your child might not catch the way, you share your thoughts. They may have different choices and may react to the situation differently than you might. 

So, always try to listen to what your child wants rather than insisting them to behave as per your choices. By taking excessive control over your child, you are snatching your child’s opportunity to work for themselves. This just lowers your child’s confidence and develops the bad habit of compromising on every work they do. They can never give their whole to any work, lessening their capabilities. For this reason, stop being over-involved in your child’s activities. Teach your child the right path. 

Teach them what is right and what is wrong in a loving way. But never force them to do anything that they do not want. Try to share your thoughts and dreams with your kids and watch their actions. Accept their choices where they want to be.  All parents must learn to encourage their children in their interested field, what they are comfortable with, and what they want to be. Try to understand them and follow them through their journey of life. Children are psychologically sensitive subjects and the undesirable pressure will only make them worry. Try to spend more time with your child to know their interest and validate their feelings.