Are you overparenting in front of others?
Do you find you change the way you parent your child(ren) in front of others? Do you adjust your tone to satisfy what you believe is the expectation of how a parent “should” be with their kids – especially when they “misbehave”? In other words, do you find you become an Oscar winning actor when it comes to being around other Mamas? Do playdates, specifically those with seemingly perfect kids, stress you the hell out?
Are you OVERPARENTING in front of others?
I sure did. And this is why it always left me feeling deflated, ridden with guilt, and made me question the choices I made as a mom. My once quirky child was getting progressively more and more muted with every reprimand, with every moment of embarrassment and every unfortunate experience of shame. I watched her change into a more “toned down” version of herself. And my overparenting, had something …maybe everything to do with it.
In this week’s podcast, I will be exploring how the overwhelm of caring too much about what other people (particularly other Mamas) think, completely affected my self confidence as a mom, and how I felt it left detrimental effects on my child.
Now with the pandemic, I’ve had a chance to be more introspective. Overparenting has now become a thing of the past, and I have never felt so free.
Coincidentally…. neither has my girl.
Have a listen to our newest podcast episode below, to see how things have changed since overparenting in front of others has since been taken off the table.
Darling… I need my sass back,
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I need to stop and think if I parent different in front of other. Great topic.
Aha, so that’s overparenting. I don’t think my wife and I are overparenting but I definitely experienced it as a child. Those moments when you are happy and innocently talking but would be told to keep quiet. I don’t know, maybe I was too loud. But that definitely dampened my energy and mood.
Great topic. I have always noticed that I tend to be much more lenient in front of others rather than more reprimanding. Although, I don’t think either way is good for us or our children.
Guilty mom here. But I try to minimize it since my eldest is no longer a tot. He knows how to feel embarrassed and practices his independence.
Reading this post makes me feel that maybe I have not overparented when in company (but underparenting?? maybe sometimes?)
It’s a struggle, because there has to be a balance somewhere between free-range parenting and overparenting. I usually step in if danger is involved, or bullying. Maybe I have a benefit having 3 kids within 3 years of each other – they get to practice social skills on each other and i feel safer to let them just go and figure it out when outside kids aren’t involved. by the time they get to school and play dates, they’re pretty skilled and know how it all works… maybe…
Such a great topic!! I dont have kids but I will share this with my friends that do 🙂
That why they say adulting is hard, being a parent is not easy, but it must be done. As a parent or the adult we were not put here to be their friends they will have those along the way, we were put here to guide them and make them be a viable part of society. Good job adulting.
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Even though I don’t have kids, I have seen my friends parent differently depending on who’s around. When the in-laws are around, there is definitively a different tone taken. This is a great topic for parents, especially first-time parents.
I did not how that was called but I guess I am somewhat guilty. Your post made me think as well. Thank you for discussing and bring this up. Will check out your podcast.
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I think everyone is guilty of this at some point. I know I am a lot!!!
Deb, your honesty about overparenting is refreshing. Many can relate to the struggle of conforming to perceived expectations. Embracing authenticity fosters a healthier environment for both parent and child. Your journey toward rediscovering your sass is inspiring. Keep shining that genuine light! ✨