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The Tragedy of Parentification
When Children Grow Up Too Soon
Children should be allowed to be kids and grow up slowly and with joy. However, people who have survived severe childhood trauma did not have that option. Many were the victims of abuse and neglect, but one form of child abuse not usually mentioned in the literature is parentification.
This article will examine parentification and how it impacts survivors today.
What in the World is Parentification?
Parentification is when a child is forced to grow up too fast because they have taken on parental responsibilities for their siblings and often their parents. These children care for their siblings and parents mentally, physically, and emotionally, maintaining the house and cooking food.
Paula McNitt, PhD, once stated that when clients come into her office for therapy who say their child is older than their years, she always suspects parentification.
When a child is in the position of caring for their siblings, they have all the responsibility for their care but none of the power to correct them when they need it. These children are stuck in a morass of emotional turmoil that often leads to long-term mental health problems such as anxiety or depression.
