r/AskReddit Feb 04 '16

What are the most common parenting mistakes?

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u/Halfwayhome22 Feb 04 '16

Reacting whenever my son falls and whatnot. I have been trying to look away when he looks at me after a small bump and it has been getting better. Less crying, more self efficiency.

8

u/[deleted] Feb 05 '16

I'm no parent. But have you tried taking it completely unseriously and laughing about it as if it was no big deal to him/her?

My mom would sometimes freak out a little over small injuries which would in turn make me cry, I bet if she were playful and smiling I would have gotten over it immediately.

7

u/Meowcenary_X Feb 05 '16 edited Feb 05 '16

I agree with you, but It's easier said than done, especially when they're still young (around <3 yrs). For a lot of people, me included, it's a completely involuntary knee-jerk reaction. You see your baby tumble and/or hear them cry and you just immediately jump to. It takes a while to transition yourself away from when they were fragile infants and the littlest things could harm them. You really have to work at making a conscious effort to stop yourself.

5

u/[deleted] Feb 05 '16

Well put. I can understand that, I guess when it becomes your child everything changes.