The Rise of the Anxious Parent
Balanced Life|April 2023
Today’s parents are more involved in their children’s lives than any generation in the past. And while the consequences aren’t all bad, it can benefit both parent and child if we learn to let go,
Julie Beun
The Rise of the Anxious Parent

The parents of today grew up without baby monitors, walked to school by themselves and even broke a bone or two climbing trees in the backyard. Yet despite surviving a freewheeling childhood, they worry more, hover constantly and are the most anxious generation of parents to walk the planet,' says Alex Russell, clinical psychologist and author of Drop the Worry Ball: How to Parent in the Age of Entitlement.

You've probably seen them and may even be one: 'helicopter parents' who are deeply engaged in their child's physical and emotional life and who micro-manage their every move out of fear and uncertainty. The result? A generation that feels entitled to only the best, but so cosseted and managed that they fail to launch into adulthood until well into their 20s.

More worryingly, psychologists like Russell have noticed an increase in 'school refusal', in which students drop out or fail after buckling under the panic and pressure to achieve the best marks. 'We have kids who finish school and are supposed to be adults, but they're clearly not ready,' says Russell. 'They graduate and end up working, say, in a law firm. And their bosses are saying, "What's wrong with these students? They are polite, lovely, compassionate and broadminded, and yet they can't do a single thing without being told what to do. What's going to happen when they need to be novel thinkers?".

EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 2023 من Balanced Life.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 2023 من Balanced Life.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من BALANCED LIFE مشاهدة الكل
5 MINUTES WITH VIWO KULATI SINGER SONGWRITER
Balanced Life

5 MINUTES WITH VIWO KULATI SINGER SONGWRITER

You know you've made it in life when one of your career highlights is having worked as a back-up vocalist for the acclaimed Zonke Dikana.

time-read
2 mins  |
July 2024
What's on?
Balanced Life

What's on?

From lifestyle to laughs, there's plenty to see and do this month.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
VISAfree visits
Balanced Life

VISAfree visits

Travel can be a bit expensive, especially when all the costs start to add up. Consider these countries to help lessen the price tag and increase your shopping budget.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
Self love CLUB
Balanced Life

Self love CLUB

Self-care can mean a number of things. Here's how to get fluent in your own self-love language.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
Unleash your CREATIVI
Balanced Life

Unleash your CREATIVI

Through creative expression, we can better understand ourselves. Making time for art is not just a way for you to unleash your imagination, but to soothe your mind.

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
PUT YOUR MONEY ON THE WALL
Balanced Life

PUT YOUR MONEY ON THE WALL

Investing in art isn't just for the elite. We show you how to start your own stellar collection, one masterpiece at a time.

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2024
IS A 4-DAY WEEK POSSIBLE?
Balanced Life

IS A 4-DAY WEEK POSSIBLE?

Working 300 hours a week doesn't necessarily mean success and more productivity. Perhaps we need to take a 'less is more' approach...

time-read
2 mins  |
July 2024
Sting like Bee
Balanced Life

Sting like Bee

Paula Lakay, or Ms Paula Bee as she's known on the socials, turned her love of content creation into a career, expressing her creativity in more ways than one.

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2024
More than a WOMAN
Balanced Life

More than a WOMAN

While playing Modern Family's beloved character Gloria, Sofía Vergara has been building her own business empire and sharpening her skills to play her dream role. And if you're surprised, then she thinks that's on you.

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2024
CHOCOLATE CHECKOUT
Balanced Life

CHOCOLATE CHECKOUT

Easter calls for everything chocolate and we've got six spectacular ways to satisfy your sweet (and savoury) tooth.

time-read
6 mins  |
April 2024