1 Easy Way For Heroic Parents to Help Their Teen Avoid Adolescent Identity Crisis

Heroic Parents want to be heroes for their children. Always.

They want to save the day for them. They want to be the one their children turn to when they need help.

While this is a noble goal, parents who step in too often to save their children do them a disservice.

Children raised in a Heroic Parent household struggle once they leave home for college.

They may have difficulty thinking for themselves because they haven't practiced making their own decisions. They may also resent their parents for taking decision-making away from them, missing the opportunity to learn life skills.

This is never so apparent when adversity strikes during the crucial first year of college. Kids are suddenly faced with the harsh reality of adulthood and college life without their parents. They freeze, watching life go past them, unable to make a decision and unable to cope.

How to Avoid Adolescent Identity Crisis

Young adults need basic skills to handle their newfound independence in healthy ways. This can lead them to make poor choices in their personal and school lives and even rebel against their parents. If you have a competent and compliant child who unexplainedly becomes defiant, withdrawn, or aggressive, your child may suffer an "adolescent identity crisis."

Adolescent identity crisis is a period of confusion, self-doubt, and uncertainty that adolescents go through as they struggle to define who they are. The struggle is more significant when they have rarely been given a chance to be the hero of their stories because their parents were too busy filling that role.

How to Become a Herofree Parent

Heroic Parents should rethink their approach to their parenting style and instead encourage their children to develop independence and self-confidence.

The hard part of this process is watching your child fail. However, letting your child fail is the most effective way to escape the heroic parent syndrome.

Teens who have been given a chance to decide their path have more skills and self-confidence and struggle less with the adolescent identity crisis.

Give your child the opportunity to take responsibility, plan, struggle, fail, and learn from the experience. You're preparing them for a successful future by giving them this chance. They'll be better equipped to meet life's challenges.

Parents want to protect their children from failure and difficulty. However, constantly interfering with solving their problems can hinder their growth and development.

You must let children experience the consequences of their actions and learn from their mistakes. This builds their confidence and teaches them problem-solving, resilience, and responsibility. As parents, resist the urge to be a hero and empower our children to be the hero of their own stories.

The initial phase will be challenging, but letting your child fail is the most effective thing you can do for their future.