Overview
- New reports lay out four unconscious pitfalls for parents: overprotective “be careful” warnings, evaluative praise, time pressure that blocks reflection, and parents’ own low self-feeling.
- Blaschke defines self-feeling as a child’s lived sense of being okay and capable, describing it as the precursor necessary for healthy self-worth.
- Recommendations emphasize co-regulation and naming emotions, along with giving children chances to practice self-soothing and experience self-efficacy instead of relying on punishment.
- Practical steps highlighted include brief periods of undivided attention, allowing boredom and limiting toys to boost creativity, simple daily rituals, and prioritizing autonomy over perfection.
- Blaschke reports that over 80% of parents she works with rate their own self-feeling as weak, while noting it can be developed throughout life.