Parental Burnout: Myths That Get in the Way of Helping Your Child

Parents increasingly feel they are not coping — and often draw the wrong conclusions from that feeling. Dr. Saulitis identifies several persistent myths that do not just fail to help, but actively make things worse.

Myth 1: "I simply can't keep up with the times — that's just how it is"

Many parents interpret their confusion as a personal or generational weakness. In reality, it reflects a systemic unpreparedness: society has entered a new information environment so rapidly that the parenting skills developed in the old reality now "constrain" rather than guide. Acknowledging this is not a failure; the real danger lies in ignoring it.

Myth 2: "My child just spends too much time on the phone — it's no big deal"

A common mistake is treating the digital environment as neutral leisure. Dr. Saulitis insists on calling it "information irradiation" — something capable of genuinely altering the brain's architecture in a child. Adolescents aged 10–13 are especially vulnerable, as this is precisely the period when serious psychological changes can first emerge. Underestimating this risk is one of the most damaging parental errors.

Myth 3: "I'll sort out the child first, then deal with myself"

Parents typically fail to notice that they are already under the same influence. A simple self-check: if having a device taken away, missing an episode of a series, or not sending a message at the expected moment causes emotional distress — the influence is already there. Trying to build protection for a child without first recognising one's own susceptibility is a mistake that undermines every other effort.

What works instead of myths

There is one thing no social network can provide: physical contact and unconditional acceptance. Hugging a child, stroking their hair, telling them you love them — not for their grades or their view count, but simply because they exist — is the one counterweight that no digital content can replace.