{"id":87322,"date":"2022-12-20T14:48:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-20T18:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=87322"},"modified":"2022-12-28T12:15:11","modified_gmt":"2022-12-28T16:15:11","slug":"emotional-childhood-neglect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/emotional-childhood-neglect\/","title":{"rendered":"Emotional Childhood Neglect: Signs, Types, & Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is emotional childhood neglect? How do parents emotionally neglect their children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To understand how emotional childhood neglect happens, you first have to look at the parents. In Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents<\/em>, Lindsey Gibson looks at the common features and types of emotionally immature parents<\/a>, and the impact their behavior has on their children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read below for a better understanding of emotional childhood neglect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Understanding Emotionally Immature Parents and Their Impact<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gibson argues that understanding how your parents came to be emotionally underdeveloped reveals information that can help you navigate your relationship with them. Not all parents who instigate emotional childhood neglect do so intentionally or maliciously. Knowing why your parents operate the way they do can help you choose how\u2014and how much\u2014to interact with them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generally speaking, emotionally immature parents grew up with a caretaker who severely restricted their ability to express their emotions. Children deprived of the opportunity to express a full range of their true feelings, or who learn that some feelings are unacceptable, can\u2019t develop an integrated sense of self. Instead, their energy goes into building their defenses, which take over and become so intertwined with who they are that they\u2019re intractable. What\u2019s left is a person who\u2019s a patchwork of unpredictable, inconsistent feelings. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When highly defensive children grow up and become parents<\/a>, their capacity to have healthy relationships<\/a> with their own children is restricted because they lack the tools needed to engage in emotionally healthy ways. Their ability to change this depends on whether they can self-reflect. Most, unfortunately, cannot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By contrast, Gibson defines emotionally mature <\/em>parents as caretakers who are comfortable with emotions and attuned to their children\u2019s emotional needs. Emotionally mature parents create a sense of security for their children by consistently demonstrating an interest in their well-being, validating their emotions, showing affection and comfort, and being emotionally dependable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Features of Emotionally Immature Parents and Their Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gibson says that emotionally underdeveloped parents share a number of common features. Understanding what they are can a) help you determine if your parent was emotionally immature and b) move forward from the hurt you suffered at their hands. Below, we\u2019ll examine three of the most prominent features of emotionally underdeveloped parents and their negative impact on children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feature 1: They\u2019re Deeply Preoccupied With Themselves<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Gibson says that emotionally immature parents are highly self-centered, not necessarily because they\u2019re narcissistic, but because they question their self-worth so deeply they\u2019re unable to take other people into consideration. As a result, they\u2019re unable to identify, relate to, or meaningfully acknowledge their child\u2019s feelings, interests, and needs. Emotionally immature parents often: <\/p>\n\n\n\n