3 Ways That 'Plastic-Wrap Parenting' Can Hinder Your Child's Growth

Navigating the line between care and overprotection is crucial for a parent. Here's how overprotection can do more harm than good.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | 04 March, 2024

In recent years, the concept of "plastic wrap parenting" has surfaced, depicting a parenting style marked by overprotectiveness and excessive control over a child's life. This metaphorical term points to parents that aim to envelop their children in a layer of protection, barring them from experiencing the world and learning from their own mistakes. While it's instinctive for parents to safeguard their children, this parenting style can negatively impact a child's development and well-being.

Characteristics of "plastic wrap parenting" include:

• Overprotection. Parents might go to extreme lengths to shield their child from potential dangers, even if it restricts their opportunities for growth and exploration.
• Helicopter tendencies. This involves parents hovering over every move of their child, constantly monitoring and intervening in their activities.
• Micromanaging. Parents might exert excessive control over their child's choices and decisions, ranging from their diet to their social circle.
• Fear of failure. Parents might be overly concerned with their child's success and inhibit them from taking risks or making mistakes.

Here are three unforeseen consequences of plastic wrap parenting on children.

1. Difficulty With Decision-Making

Children nurtured in a plastic wrap environment might grapple with decision-making in their later years. Given that their parents made the majority of decisions for them, they might not have had the chance to practice making choices and assessing consequences. As a result, they might face difficulties in decision-making as adults, leading to indecisiveness and anxiety.

A study published in Emerging Adulthood underscores this notion, revealing the repercussions of such restrictive parenting on the sense of autonomy of teenagers. Actions such as imposing stringent regulations and curfews, closely overseeing academic decisions and intervening in conflict resolution were identified as significantly limiting teenagers' autonomy and decision-making capabilities. Notably, these actions during early adolescence were found to predict a higher likelihood of dependence on parents in adulthood.

This lack of decision-making experience can also impact their ability to set goals and make long-term plans, as they may not have developed the skills to evaluate different options and consider potential outcomes. Additionally, they may rely heavily on others to make decisions for them, which can lead to feelings of helplessness and a lack of autonomy. Overall, the inability to make decisions can significantly impact a child's confidence and sense of agency, affecting their well-being and success in various aspects of life.

2. Inability To Handle Criticism

Children who have been overly protected and shielded from criticism might develop a lack of fragile sense of self-worth, leading to a dependence on their parents' constant guidance and intervention. As a result, they could find it challenging to handle constructive feedback or criticism in the future.

The absence of resilience and coping skills necessary to process and learn from criticism could lead to defensiveness or avoidance of situations where they might be scrutinized. A lack of exposure to criticism could also impede their ability to grow and improve, as they might not be receptive to acknowledging their weaknesses or areas for development.

Furthermore, they might struggle with self-reflection and self-awareness due to an inability to accept their own flaws and sit with the discomfort of observing oneself without any filters. This struggle with handling criticism could, therefore, impede their ability to realize their full potential.

3. Difficulty With Adaptability

A study published in Frontiers in Psychology suggests that overprotection can increase psychological inflexibility in adolescents. Psychological inflexibility refers to a rigid and narrow way of thinking and behaving, leading to difficulties in adapting to new situations and coping with stress. When parents are overprotective, they may shield their child from experiencing and learning from challenges and setbacks. As a result, the child may develop a fear of failure and a reluctance to step out of their comfort zone, which can contribute to psychological inflexibility.

Plastic wrap parenting can hinder a child's ability to adapt to new situations and environments. Since they have been sheltered from many experiences, they may struggle to cope with change and unfamiliar circumstances.

This can manifest in difficulty adjusting to new schools, jobs or relationships, as they may not have developed the flexibility and adaptability needed to navigate these transitions. Additionally, owing to their limited understanding of different perspectives and ways of thinking, they may also grapple with problem-solving and critical thinking.

While it's natural for parents to want to protect their children, it's important to find a balance between protecting them and allowing them to explore and learn from their own experiences. Parents should strive to provide guidance and support while allowing their children to take risks and make mistakes in a safe and supportive environment.

Do you feel like your parenting cup is less than half-full? Take the Parental Burnout Assessment to find out more.

A similar version of this article can also be found on Forbes.com, here.