Characteristics of Abusive Parents and Effect on Children

Child abuse as the word suggests is one of the most traumatic experiences that any child could go through. There are several cases where children are subjected to consistent mental and emotional distress by none other than their own life givers – their very own parents. It’s sometimes very hard to even believe the fact that children could be suffering due to the behaviors of their parents but as a matter of fact it is true that child abuse has also got to do with parents and their parenting flaws.

Characteristics of abusive parents

Many carelessly reckon that when it comes to child abuse at home by their own parents its basically got to do with physical trauma and suffering that the little one is mercilessly subjected to which is surprisingly not enough. This sort of an abuse could be emotional, physical and some times sexual too. Nevertheless, the two primary ways of distressing your child could also prove extremely harmful for them in their life ahead. When parents neglect their children physically and mentally or emotionally the children begin to feel lonesome and sad slowly going into a distressful situation which only aggravates with time making them difficult individuals in future. Seeing their own parents not treating them with the kind of love and affection that they expect from them, they become mentally weak, lacking faith in themselves and also losing their self-esteem when they grow up later in the years.

It is a general saying that ‘abused children become abusive parents‘. One of the major causes of parental abuse is their own harrowing life experiences which eventually result in making them just like what their parents were once upon a time. It is like a vicious cycle which never ends spoiling generations on generations without any improvement. Second reason is when the parent’s way of thinking pushes them to become harsh on their children. For example many feel discipline is taught never with love but always with a stick which could end up making the parents physically abusive. And then there are reasons like parents who are mentally sick or who get entangled in the merciless clutches of habits like drinking etc, who pose a tremendous threat to their children’s normal mental and physical growth.

Parents who are abusive always look and behave in a very different manner. When spotted outside with their children they immediately stand away from the rest. Their children also look timid and scared for the fear of getting bashed up for anything which could be wrong in the eyes of their parents. Many a time they are too high strung and frustrated to even come up with their troubles to the outside world.

Abusive Parents Effects of children

Effects of abusive parents of their children are very distinct and clear.

• They are weak, timid and extremely scared all the time. Many grow up to be mentally depressed and dependent.
• Some lose faith while there are still some who have serious psychological disorders to work up on.
• They can hardly have normal relationships and marriage rarely works wonders for such.
• Low self esteem, lack of confidence and hope are just a few examples of such children.
• This is also seen, abused children become abusive parents in their later life, which is the worst part of the case.

Parenting could have many facets but the only thing that matters is how we could make this experience better for everyone including our children.