Every parent dreams of success for their child. They do their best to give their kid every opportunity to thrive. However, some parental behaviours unwittingly deter success in children. And if you don’t know you’re doing it, how are you supposed to stop?

This article will uncover eight behaviours that could be having more of a negative impact than you realise.

1. Not letting your kid try new things

Parents may have the best of intentions when they refuse to let their child try something new. Often they just want to protect them from failure. However, failure is a key life lesson. Children need to learn how to deal will trying and failing in a positive way to enjoy success later on in life.

2. Over-pampering

If your child is physically and mentally capable of doing a job, LET THEM DO IT! Kids need to be able to fend for themselves if they are to become high-functioning adults.

3. Over-praising

If you praise every little thing your child does, you may be preventing them from becoming successful. If you praise your child for an insignificant task, it does not motivate them to rise and do more. Your child should be able to do age appropriate and expected things without receiving praise. Your praise should focus on larger and more difficult tasks. For example, an eight-year-old does not need praise for getting dressed in the morning but may benefit from praise when they work tirelessly and do well on a spelling test.

4. Downplaying friendship

Your child needs a strong emotional support system to become successful. So your job as a parent should be to help them facilitate a strong social network.

5. Helicopter mom-ing

It is incredibly annoying when parents try to control everything in their child’s life. They might have every intention of trying to make their kid’s life perfect, but they are causing more harm than good. When you hover over your child’s every move and decision you convey a grave message to your child: Mom (or dad) doesn’t believe in me.

6. Being too strict

When parents enforce strict rules in their homes, they are usually trying to protect their child from bad decisions. However, these rigorous boundaries can negatively affect the child’s ability to exhibit self-control. If parents are making all the decisions for their child, they are not equipping their child to make decisions on their own. Children need to be allowed to manage their behaviour in reasonable boundaries. Greater and greater freedom is crucial to a child’s success.

7. Being adverse to emotional expression

You need to allow your child to be open and honest about how they are feeling. When they can express their worries, fears, anger, sadness, or joy with you, then they can build a strong connection with you. This bond, when healthy, is beneficial to both parent and child. You can also use this time of emotional expression to help them work through negative emotions in a positive and constructive way.

8. Not practising what you preach

When you say one thing and do another you are speaking more than words can. They may feel confused about what is actually right, but ultimately children remember most what you do and not what you say.

It’s impossible to create a formula for what will produce a successful child, but childhood is the best time to develop traits of many successful people. Teach your child that it’s ok to make mistakes, and show them how to bounce back from minor or major setbacks. And remember: You’re only human, so if you make mistakes too… it’s ok. Let your mistakes be teachable moments, and then move on and keep being an awesome parent!