Children Aren't There to Make Parents Happy
Source: spectator.com
- Children exist to become independent adults, not to fulfill parents' emotional needs.
- Modern parents often treat kids as happiness sources, leading to overprotection and poor preparation for life.
- This approach harms children by delaying maturity and increasing mental health risks.
The article argues that parents today wrongly expect children to make them happy, turning parenting into a self-centered pursuit. It critiques overprotective "helicopter parenting" that shields kids from failure and discomfort. Written by Melissa Kearney, an economist, it calls for letting children face real-world challenges to build resilience. This matters because it challenges cultural norms fueling youth anxiety and entitlement.