Good Parents, Bad Results

One of the hardest parts to being a parent today is that so much is expected of us.  As a therapist I frequently see how people's lives are deeply impacted (sometimes quite screwed up) by the parent's behaviors.  To add to this we have specialists frequently coming out telling us that we are doing things wrong.  There is almost as many trends in parenting as there are in dieting.  I think after awhile parents become so overwhelmed they head straight for the cookie aisle.  

Well be that as it may, this article I found in U.S. News and World Report does have some good pointers as to where good parents fail.  I guess with anything it is easier to do a poor job than it is to do a good one.  Doing a good job takes patience, control and an eye on the end results.  Here's a list of the eight things that even good parents do poorly.  I know I need to work on a few myself (see #1 and #3).  How do you measure up?  

1. Parents fail at setting limits.
2. They're overprotective. 
3. They nag.  Lecture.  Repeat.  Then yell.  (my personal favorite)
4. They praise too much - And badly.  
5. They punish too harshly.  
6. They tell their child how to feel.  
7. They put grades and SATs ahead of creativity.  
8. They forget to have fun.  (this is one is not a struggle, see below)