Parents – from meeting needs to serving needs: emotional development in early childhood

Good parents today want to understand their children as empathetically as possible, recognise their needs at an early stage and spare them frustration. But can too much parental empathy lead to children developing unwanted and socially problematic traits? When parents anticipate needs, avoid conflicts and pre-emptively remove difficulties, there is a risk that children will have too few opportunities to recognise their own needs, express them verbally and advocate for them independently. This risks a situation in which emotional support from parents becomes a prerequisite, supplanting self-efficacy and autonomy.

Following the talk, you will have the opportunity to discuss the topic with Dr Schlegel.