While some parents make their children feel loved and appreciated, others do quite the opposite.
A narcissistic parent often treats and views their child as an extension of themselves rather than as an individual with needs and emotions. Manipulation, emotional abuse, and long-lasting psychological damage can all result from this. Understanding and defending yourself starts with realizing the signs of a narcissistic parent.
You can be dealing with a narcissistic parent if you feel consistently ignored, devalued, or used for validation. Many times, they fail to display true empathy and put their own needs above everything else. Learning to deal with a narcissistic parent calls for both understanding these behaviors and establishing healthy boundaries.
These four signs of a narcissistic parent should never be overlooked.
Many times, a narcissistic parent evaluates their worth based on the successes and achievements of their child. They only feel good about their child's success because of how well it will reflect on them. Should their child fall short of expectations, they could grow emotionally detached or even aggressive.
They merely exhibit affection when their child excels at something, instead of providing unconditional love. In other words, they only show love based on certain conditions they’ve set, which they expect the child to meet. Children under this pressure may come to feel as though they are never good enough. This conduct over time might lead to anxiety and ingrained self-esteem problems.
Particularly when things do not go as planned, narcissistic parents experience strong emotional reactions. To control their child, they could act out in anger, resort to insults, or use guilt. Their feelings always come first; hence, their child should be able to cater to their moods rather than the other way around.
They dismiss or belittle their child's emotions at the same time. Should their child show unhappiness or annoyance, parents can say things like "Stop being so dramatic" or "Get over it." This teaches the youngster to suppress their emotions, which makes it difficult for them to create healthy relationships later on in life.
A narcissistic parent puts their needs above that of their child. Without question, they want their child to adjust to their way of life, interests, and social life. If they appreciate a certain pastime, they will urge that their child engage in it regardless of what the child’s interests are.
They might also object to giving up something for the important events involving their child. Should a school event or milestone interfere with their plans, they will choose themselves. As a result of all these self-centered behaviors, the child feels small and unimportant.
For a narcissistic parent, boundaries do not exist. They violate their child's right to privacy, insist on constant attention, and expect their children to be always reachable. When they seek validation, they won't hesitate to disturb their child's personal time or hobbies.
They also feel entitled to frankly and openly criticize their child regardless of who is there to witness it. Whether it’s about the child’s appearance, decisions, or personality, nothing is off-limits to this type of parent. This sort of constant intrusion can produce long-lasting emotional damage, which makes it challenging for the youngster to develop self-confidence and independence.
Protecting oneself from emotional damage depends on being aware of these signs. Although the actions of a narcissistic parent might be quite destructive, you can recover control of your life by establishing boundaries and seeking support.
