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8 Ways To Mess Up Your Kids

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8 Ways To Mess Up Your Kids
Are you inadvertently messing up your kids? Read this tongue-in-cheek article to discover how!

Most parents REALLY want to be good parents. But since it is rare for parents to take parenting classes or heal their childhood issues before becoming parents, we inadvertently do lots of things to mess up our kids. This tongue-in-cheek article may help you to see what you are doing!

1. Ignore the crying

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The tiny infant comes into the world equipped only with its cry to let us know when it is distressed. Its cry is the only power it has. A great way to created deep-seated life-long fear and insecurity is to ignore the baby's cry, instead forcing the baby to follow your schedule. Babies who are left to cry may become fearful and inward.

2. Control

Instead of following your baby's lead, be sure to impose your own wants, needs, will and desires on to the baby and young child. Disempower the child by ignoring his or her way of being in the world and impose your way of being with your anger, disapproval and withdrawal. Your anger, disapproval and withdrawal of love work well to control your child - at least until adolescence. Then, of course, you will likely be faced with rebellion.

3. Processed food

Make sure that you plan for your own convenience rather than for your child's health. It is so much easier to just pick up packaged and processed food than it is to cook wholesome food. Your children will love all the processed food and get addicted to it. Be sure to create a sugar addiction by offering them sweets for rewards. Then, when they can't focus at school and exhibit behavior problems due to bouncing blood sugar, you get to punish them for their poor performance and behavior!

4. Spoil - Don't spoil

Be sure to spoil your child by substituting things for love. Because you are too busy to be really present with your children, offer to buy them whatever they want. However, be sure NOT to spoil your children by giving them too much loving attention. By giving them things instead of loving attention, you can train them to be addicted to things and approval. By not paying attention to them, you let them know that they are not worthy or lovable enough for your attention. This way, they will be easily controlled by the need for others' approval.

5. Undermine their trust in themselves

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Be sure to let them know that they don't know their own minds and don't know what they want or feel. After all, you don't want them to be independent thinkers. Independent thinkers are not easily controlled, and you definitely want to keep control! Let them know how stupid they are for their unusual ways of thinking.

6. Hit your children to discipline them

Article contributed by
Advanced Member

Dr. Margaret Paul

Author

Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is a best-selling author of 8 books, relationship expert, and co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding® process - featured on Oprah, and recommended by actress Lindsay Wagner and singer Alanis Morissette. Are you are ready to heal your pain and discover your joy? Take our FREE Inner Bonding course, and click here for a FREE CD/DVD relationship offer. Visit our website at innerbonding.com for more articles and help, as well as our Facebook Page. Phone and Skype sessions available. Join the thousands we have already helped and visit us now!

Location: Los Angeles, CA
Credentials: PhD
Specialties: Anxiety Issues, Couples/Marital Issues, Depression
Other Articles/News by Dr. Margaret Paul:

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