Irrational Relationships and Parenting

There are circumstances within a family’s composition that
leads a parent to act in irrational ways. This, in turn, can contribute to the child’s irrational thought processes. Did you know
that close to sixty percent of families were headed by a single
parent in 1994? Did you also know that 75 percent of families
with children had both parents working? These numbers demonstrate the various roles and challenges parents take on today.

Did your parents take on job and social roles that took their attention
away from you? Many parents are forced to work because of the
costs to raise a family. In some families, both parents work in the
pursuit of more material wealth. Each endeavor is admirable as
long as the family is grounded in a morality that places importance on the relationships within the family unit. A child who
experiences rejection from his parent due to these factors will
make attempts to redirect the parent’s attention. If this fails, the
child will find other means to meet his needs, many times acting in maladaptive ways to cope with the stress in his life. He
may demonstrate addictive behavior, social withdrawal, or
even violence.