Emotionally immature parents are unable to recognize how their emotions may impact those around them.
Childhoodshould be whimsical, nurturing and validating.
But for many kids, this just isnt the case.
These types of parents are known in the therapy world as emotionally immature parents.
They center themselves regardless of whats going on in your life.
These behaviors were modeled for them, so its how they think they should handle situations with their children.
Often, parents who are emotionally immature tended to also grow up with emotionally immature parents.
They emotionally dump on their children.
Emotionally immature parents dont handle their emotions well.
This could be anything from issues at work to problems in their marriage to financial difficulties.
Emotionally immature parents tend to do this because of the hierarchy that exists in parent-child relationships, said Sagaram.
Often, this results in children shutting down emotionally or projecting onto other people, she stated.
Additionally, it can make the child feel like theyre responsible for their parents moods and emotions.
Emotionally immature parents rely on their kids for emotional support.
Another big sign is a dependence on their children for emotional support, according to Chaiken.
They possess a lack of empathy.
Emotionally immature parents are unable to recognize how their emotions may impact those around them, noted Chaiken.
These kinds of parents can struggle to understand their childrens feelings and needs, she said.
They struggle with boundaries.
If your parent refuses to respect yourboundariesor has questionable boundaries of their own, it is a red flag.
Whats more, they also have a hard time with boundaries you set with them, noted Sagaram.
They use guilt and the silent treatment as a weapon.
Additionally, emotionally immature parents often employ the silent treatment, Sagaram said.
They often have inconsistent behavior and reactions.
This can also lead to inconsistent behavior, she noted.
They dont respect your individuality.
And you want to start that pretty early on.
So, eventually when they do become an adult, that transition is smoother, Sagaram said.
But, an emotionally immature parent is not able to do that.
According to Sagaram, the most important thing is recognizing this fact it will help you feel less alone.
This could be emotional support, an opportunity to voice your opinions or unconditional love.
As you re-parent yourself, you might give these things to yourself.
Additionally, social support is important, Chaiken said.
Emotional immaturity is a learned behavior that is likely something thats been in your bloodline for generations.
Your ability to recognize your behavior is emotional maturity in itself, Chaiken added.
I definitely recommend professional help here because this is not an easy thing to do, noted Sagaram.
This article originally appeared onHuffPost.
