This HuffPost Canada page is maintained as part of an online archive.

Majority Of Parents Ignore Family Advice On How To Raise Kids, Study Says

Because unsolicited advice is the WORST.

They say mama knows best, but it turns out parents aren't actually interested in the advice family members give them on how to raise their kids.

According to research by Lifetime Daily, one in three parents are more open to advice about jobs and education from their relatives than they are to advice regarding lifestyle choices or their kids.

Hero Images via Getty Images

This makes total sense, considering no one wants someone else telling them how to live their lives, regardless of whether they're a family member or not. And on top of that, it's safe to say that unsolicited parenting advice is the WORST.

Lifetime Daily's study, which surveyed 1,000 people, also found that the majority of people said their families were meddlers when it came to their kids. On a scale of one to five, with five being extremely intrusive, the majority gave their families a rating of three, Parents.com reports.

Interestingly, the site noted that Baby Boomers considered their family members to be less intrusive when it came to raising kids than Gen Zs (those born between 1996 and 2010). This is likely due to the concept of "helicopter parenting," which first came about roughly 25 years ago, according to Quartz.

In case you didn't know, helicopter parenting is all about micromanaging your children in every aspect of their lives and stepping in to help them before they even need it. Considering this parenting style picked up while millennials were being born, it makes sense that the younger generation is tired of family members getting in on their business.

PeopleImages via Getty Images

According to the survey, parents were considered the nosiest family members, followed by in-laws, extended family and then siblings. However, those who were surveyed also said that parents' advice was best received out of those categories, followed by extended family.

In a blog on PopSugar, mom Nina Lacour explained her feelings towards receiving unwelcome advice. "Out in the world, everyone has an opinion about how to raise children, and I often feel like an amateur," she wrote.

It's natural to feel this way, especially if your own parents are constantly on your back about your parenting skills.

When parents become intrusive in their children's lives, it may signal to the children that what they do is never good enough.

According to a 2016 study by the National University of Singapore, intrusive parents can negatively affect their kids in the long run by making them overly self-critical.

"When parents become intrusive in their children's lives, it may signal to the children that what they do is never good enough," study lead and assistant professor Ryan Hong said. "As a result, the child may become afraid of making the slightest mistake and will blame himself or herself for not being 'perfect.'"

But despite this, Lifetime Daily's study found that 31 per cent of the people surveyed would not make their family less intrusive if they could. Unfortunately, the study doesn't offer an explanation for this statistic, so our best guess is that parents are accepting of their family's intrusiveness when they know they mean well, as opposed to meddling for no reason.

Also on HuffPost:

Keep Your Head in the Game

Realistic Photos of Parenting

Close
This HuffPost Canada page is maintained as part of an online archive. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.