Table of Contents
How do you tell if someone is infantilizing you?
What Are the Signs of Infantilization?
- Excessive neediness.
- Constant contact.
- Constant downplaying of someone’s thoughts or accomplishments.
- Questioning both complex and simple decisions.
- Gaslighting.
How do I know if my parents are narcissistic?
A narcissistic mother may feel entitled or self-important, seek admiration from others, believe she is above others, lack empathy, exploit her children, put others down, experience hypersensitivity to criticism, believe she deserves special treatment, and worst of all, maybe naïve to the damage she is causing.
What are the signs of being an infantile parent?
Being judgmental and disapproving – expressing severe negative reactions to a child’s desire to branch out and have their own unique ideas or skills. Infantilizing parents may often shame their children for trying to make decisions on their own.
What is infantilization of an adult child?
The goal is to keep their adult children from leading independent lives. Infantilization may also manifest as verbal abuse, denial of emotional support, and even gifts that aren’t age-appropriate. As adult children age, they may find their parents buying them gifts that send a message about their inability to care for themselves.
How can I Help my Child with an infantilizing parent?
Seeking support from a qualified and trained mental health professional can help the child of an infantilizing parent to develop their sense of self and self-worth, allowing them to develop and establish healthy boundaries with their parents so they may move toward independence.
What are the common themes in infantilization?
Interference – For people who are infantilized, the common theme is that they’re incapable of running their own lives and making their own decisions. At least this is what they’ve been led to believe. Narcissistic parents believe that they have the right to interfere in the private lives of their adult children.