The Age of Overindulgence

Raising likeable, responsible, respectful children.

David J Bredehoft Ph.D.

Why Do Parents Overindulge Their Children?

Parents want the best for their children, but some overindulge. We found that overindulgence was related to specific parental issues, not to the children’s welfare.

How to Become Your Child's Reality Therapist

If you let your child own the problem then it is your job to set the stage for her or him to be able to solve it. The simple steps of reality therapy can help.

Which Wolf Are You Feeding: the Evil or the Good One?

One wolf is darkness and despair. The other is light and hope. Which wolf wins? The one you feed.

How to Develop a Suicide Intervention Plan

If you think someone is contemplating suicide, do you know what to do? This intervention plan can help you save someone's life.

16 Ways Overindulging Your Child Can Harm Them in the Future

#7: Lacking gratitude.

Links Between Dysfunctional Beliefs and Overindulgence

Overindulgence has harmful effects. Research suggests that parents are the ones who overindulge and that the behavior is rooted in the parent's past experiences.

The Art of Childrearing: Making Rules They Will Follow

Parents too soft on structure sometimes flip to the other side of the continuum, thinking the answer lies in being hard, rigid, or inflexible. Rigid is not the answer either.

Should We Give Every Child a Trophy?

What happens to children when they get an unearned trophy?

Are You a Best-Friend Parent?

Can parents be friends with their children? Does it represent childhood overindulgence?

Do You Parent Like a Vending Machine or a Slot Machine?

Can and should parents learn from machines? Let’s consider two commonplace machines: a vending machine and a slot machine. What can they teach us about parenting?

Best Parental Practices for Eliminating the Nag Factor

Does your child nag you when you go shopping? Do your children beg you to do things they shouldn't be doing? Do you give in to them? You need help to eliminate the nag factor.

What Is The Nag Factor?

Actions that children engage in to make their parents buy something is a universal dilemma all parents have to deal with. Teen social media influencers make it worse.

Parents: Rediscover The Power of "No"

Today's parents say they can't say no to their children. Their children are bombarded with thousands of "buy" messages prompting demand after demand. Take back your Power of NO!

How Parental Substance Abuse Affects Children

Children who grow up with an addicted parent often experience abuse, neglect, and even overindulgence, and they often become parentified.

Pointing Out Overindulgence to Someone You Care About

Are you concerned that a parent you know and love is overindulging their children? How do you bring up this thorny issue without alienating them? These strategies can help.

The Mental Health Consequences of Parental Overindulgence

Does it really matter if parents overindulge their children? Yes, according to research suggesting that childhood overindulgence is linked to depression, anxiety, and problematic alcohol use in young adults.

What Is Causing Depression and Anxiety in Emerging Adults?

Emerging adults are experiencing higher rates of depression and anxiety because of the pandemic, unemployment, moving back home, living alone, and dating online.

The Big Challenge: Jumping From Adolescence Into Adulthood

Adolescents do not become full-fledged adults at age 18. They first have to successfully navigate a stage of development known as "emerging adulthood."

Are Your Children Too Busy to Do Chores?

When children are not required to do chores, they grow up to become adults who don't have life skills.

Zero Chores During a Pandemic Will Spoil Your Children

Children learn valuable life skills by doing chores, but parents who overnurture don't give their children those opportunities.

Childhood Overindulgence Can Lead to Learned Helplessness

Over-nurtured children become helpless. They grow up lacking the skills they need to function as adults. Helpless. Stuck. And in some situations; feeling hopeless.

A Recipe for Raising Helpless Teenagers

When parents overindulge, they unknowingly train children to become helpless, and overindulged children have greater difficulty reaching future goals.

What Grandparents Can Do When the Parents Are Overindulging

Grandparents are in a difficult position when parents overindulge grandchildren.

5 Things to Do Instead of Overindulging Your Grandkids

Grandparents should set expectations, share their stories and hobbies, model cherished values, and start a college fund instead of overindulging their grandchildren.

When Grandparents Undermine Parents' Rules

Grandparents who refuse to respect parenting choices may pay a big price: limits on the amount of time they spend with their grandchildren. 

Do You Believe in Relationship Magic?

Individuals who were overindulged as children view their relationship from an external locus of control and think that chance is the cause of their relationship problems.

I Just Can't Get Over It! I Feel Like I'm in a Fight Club

Being overindulged as a child leads to the inability to resolve conflict in adult romantic relationships.

The Overindulgence Triangle and Money, Money, Money

Stress over money and finances may be at an all-time high for couples.

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places

Does childhood overindulgence influence our love life? Does it consciously or unconsciously influence the partners we pick and how we interact with them?

Masks and Social Distancing Through an Overindulgence Lens

Is this Me vs. We attitude fueled by childhood overindulgence? I think so.

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