7 mistakes parents make that can ruin their children's future

American therapist, Dr. Tracy Hutchinson, with 18 years of experience in the field of mental health care and psychology, points out common mistakes parents make in raising their children.

Suppressing children's emotions

Children need to be able to express their feelings. When parents say ''don't be so sad'' or ''it's no big deal'', they are sending the message that emotions are not important and should be suppressed.

If your child shows fear in a situation, say, "I see you're scared." Then ask your child what he or she thinks would help him or her feel better. This will help your child manage and cope with his or her emotions.

Always save your child from failure

As parents, it can be hard to stand by and watch your child struggle with a challenge when you can easily help. But if your child is struggling, giving them homework solutions will be counterproductive, because you can’t be in the classroom when they’re doing the test themselves.

Failure is an important part of success. If children don't have the opportunity to learn the lessons that come with failure, they will never develop the perseverance needed to bounce back from failure.

Overindulgence

Research shows that when you give your child whatever they want, they miss out on skills related to mental strength, such as self-discipline.

If you want to teach your child that anything can be achieved through effort, you need to set clear rules. For example, if you want to watch TV, you have to complete your homework or if you want to increase your allowance, you have to do chores.

Expect perfection

Every parent wants their child to achieve big goals and be the best at everything. But things don’t always work that way. Setting goals that are too high can affect a child’s self-esteem and confidence.

Build your child's mental strength by making sure expectations are realistic. Even if they don't meet expectations, the failures they face teach valuable lessons and teach them how to succeed later.

Make sure your child is comfortable

There are many things that can be uncomfortable for your child: trying new foods, making new friends, playing a new sport, moving house, and going to a new school.

But like failure, embracing the uncomfortable moments can be a source of mental strength. Encourage your child to try new things. Help them get started, because that’s the hardest part. Once they take the first step, they may find that it’s not as hard as they thought. They may even be good at it.

Not setting boundaries between parents and children

You don't want your child to make decisions for them, but you also want them to know that you're in charge. For example, if you set a curfew for your 12-year-old, make sure they stick to it every night (or as much as possible).

Parents who understand the importance of boundaries and consistency will help their children develop strong mental health. Giving in and allowing rules to be negotiated too often can lead to a power struggle between you and your child.

Not taking care of yourself

As we get older, it becomes harder to maintain healthy habits: eating well, exercising daily, taking time to recover. Try to overcome those difficulties to teach your children to live better.

It's also important to practice healthy coping skills in front of your child. For example, if you're stressed about work, consider telling your child, "I've had a really hard day at work, and I'm going to relax with tea and a book."