Do you Think You May Be Putting Parental Duties on Your Child?

In the typical order of things, parents give, and children receive. Sometimes, though, this gets reversed…

So, what is parentification?

Parentification is when the parent delegates their duties to a child, and the child ends up with too many parental responsibilities and sometimes even takes the role of caregiver to keep the family functioning. Parentification can help a child gain competence and other positive benefits, but it can also be detrimental.

Lee Ann elaborates on the following topics throughout this episode:

• How and why parentification happens.
• Instrumental vs. emotional parentification.
• Sibling-focused parentification.
• The symptoms of a child experiencing parentification.
• Tips on how we as parents can change our behaviors and be aware of the responsibilities we place on our children.

“We are in this Together: Retrospective Parentification, Sibling Relationships, and Self-Esteem,” by Judyta Borchet, is a great article to understand parentification better.

Healthline also has excellent resources regarding these topics: “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: What Is It and How Does It Work,” “Teen Depression,” and “What is Parentification?”

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