Psychiatrist Mohamed El-Mahdi warns that excessive overprotection in parenting can impair children’s ability to face life’s challenges, advocating for a balanced approach that fosters independence and responsibility.
Psychiatrist Mohamed El-Mahdi has warned that excessive pampering of children can damage their character, leaving them less able to take responsibility, cope with setbacks and face pressure later in life. Speaking on CBC’s “El-Sittat Ma Ya’rfush Yekdabo” programme, the Al-Azhar University professor said that when parents do everything for their sons and daughters, they may mistake comfort for care while depriving them of the chance to build resilience.
He said many families fall into the trap of believing that removing all difficulty from a child’s life is an act of love. In practice, he argued, that approach can produce young people who struggle to rely on themselves, delay decisions and find it hard to persevere when school, work or relationships become demanding. The outside world, he added, does not protect children in the same way a home can, which is why the transition into study or employment often becomes a shock.
That concern is echoed in broader parenting research. Healthline says overprotective parenting can leave children unprepared, dependent and fearful, while an article in Psychology Today links it to higher levels of anxiety and depression as well as weaker coping skills. A review published by Springer this year also found that overparenting and overcontrol are associated with poorer outcomes in emerging adults, including reduced independence.
El-Mahdi said the answer is not neglect but balance: support children emotionally while still holding them accountable for their actions. He argued that families should allow children to try, fail and learn, because patience, discipline and self-reliance are best formed at home. Without that foundation, he said, young people are more likely to blame circumstances or other people when life does not go their way.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
