Is it OK to compare your child to others?

But comparing your kids to others is never a good idea, and bucking this trend requires intentionality and practice.” According to Hershberg, when parents compare their kids to others, they wind up making them feel “less than” their peers.

Should parents compare their kids?

If you often compare your kids to one another, you may be hampering their academic performance. Parents should be careful about comparing their kids to their siblings, suggests a new study which found that parents’ beliefs about their children, and not just actual parenting, may influence who their kids become.

Why do parents compare their children to each other?

Parents often believe that if they extol the positive characteristics of siblings and other children to their so-called errant child, their own child will improve. Often, the comparison does the opposite. Those who are constantly compared to others have a diminished sense of individuality and ultimately come to believe that they are worthless.

How should parents deal with children who don’t have the same characteristics?

Parents should strive to take their own egos out of the equation and instead focus on what the child needs. Just because a child does not have the same characteristics as their parents does not mean they are a failure that needs correcting. A good strategy is to encourage children to develop their own personality and voice.

What do you do when your parents think your other siblings are better?

Rebuild your self-esteem. If your parents spend years acting as though your other sibling (s) are smarter, funnier, or more interesting than you, you might start to believe them. Learn to identify self-defeating or critical thoughts and feelings and challenge them wherever possible.

Do parents really know what is best for their children?

There are parents who believe that they know what is best for their children. They plan their children’s life from birth to marriage to career and beyond. They believe that they are making their kids’ lives easier and less stressful.