#1
My answer is having no social skills or any real life experience.
I am still trying to undo the damage of growing up the way I have has done to me, and I am 26. Don't shelter your children.
#2
#3
It’s programmed into most parents to be protective of their children. After all, it’s their youngling—it’s their offspring; they are responsible for their well-being in this world. Yet, some parents take it too far and become overprotective.
Overprotective parents often go beyond necessary measures to shield their children from various things, such as harm, failure, or disappointment. It is explained that overprotectiveness stems from the fear of these aforementioned things and the unknown, and from personal experiences.
#4
> refuses to eat anything that isn't a plain, well done burger
>has never traveled, explored hobbies outside of games, interacted with women.
>very socially stunted because he has no passions or experinces to draw from
>deathly afraid to try anything new, especially foods. Very inconvenient
>still working minimum wage at 33 because mother doesn't let him take a manager job
>strict curfew at 33
> very poorly dressed.
#5
#6
source: me. Most of my childhood was spent in front of a television or reading books.
Some folks tend to call them helicopter parents. The term was coined back in 1990 by child development researchers Foster Cline and Jim Fay to describe a parent who “hovers over a child like a helicopter.”
Either way, helicopter parenting often leads to the kids growing up sheltered. Basically, a kid is raised in continuous comfort and security, which is nice while they’re growing up, but becomes rather a problem when they’re an adult. That’s because such a cozy environment doesn’t prepare them for the various difficulties grown-ups have to deal with and it stunts their social skills.
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#9
Assume all of their knowledge is all of everyone's knowledge and that the sources are legitimate.
Does this make you wonder whether you grew up sheltered? Or maybe whether you ever met people who grew up like this? Well, here’s where today’s listicle comes to help. In it, you will find a plethora of signs that someone grew up sheltered.
Granted, these aren’t official criteria made by psychologists or other specialists, only the things netizens who answered the question on Reddit “What are clear signs that someone grew up sheltered?” have noticed throughout their lives, so take it with a grain of salt.
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#12
I know someone who grew up in a very sheltered little suburb, what you might call a bubble. They now live in a somewhat dodgy area, but half the time they don’t even bother locking their doors. I don’t understand why… It’s such a tiny amount of effort, and it could save you a lot of trauma, your possessions, and possibly your life.
Okay, now that we've figured out what signifies a sheltered person, how can one get rid of the consequences of such a childhood? Well, as it usually goes with problems that stem from a person's psyche, therapy is the best way to go about it.
A professional can provide a safe space for a person to unpack everything, from emotions to experiences, and can help them figure out a way to work through the struggles it causes. For instance, they can help identify behavior patterns that turn into unhealthy coping mechanisms and turn them into healthier ones. You get the gist.
#13
My roommate seems to have never been taught how to clean as a kid. Like, he's not lazy or a jerk. He just legitimately *does not know* how to recognize when something needs cleaning or how to go about cleaning it. When he's trying to be helpful, he still asks me pretty much exactly what he should do because he can't just look at something, recognize it needs doing, and do it.
Anyway, he's been trying to be more independent and pro-active, and the other day he was like "so it turns out that because bathrooms get wet, the dust that accumulates in them kinda gets matted down, and then you have to really scrub or wipe it down in order to get rid of it." He was telling me this like it's a little-known fact or some kind of revelation. I don't want to make anybody feel stupid for learning new things, so I was just kinda like "oh yeah, that's a good observation.".
#14
-complaining about waiters, tipping poorly and making comments like "well, they should have gone to college"
-general lack of empathy and an overstated feeling of righteousness.
#15
Besides therapy, there are several other things that can be done. Here, on this Reddit thread, cybercitizens give plenty of options.
Volunteering can help one develop social skills, meet people, and give back to the community. Or, reading specific books on the topic. These are just a few examples – it all depends on exactly what a person lacks and what they want to work on. The good news is that it’s all doable.
Have you ever met someone who grew up sheltered? Or maybe you were the one? If you don’t mind, open up about your experiences with us in the comments!
#16
They are baffled when people don't want to do stuff for them. They truly think others should be completely onboard for catering to them.
They constantly seek out someone to fight their battles. .
#17
It's even worse if they expect their romantic partners to make up the difference - that's not a partner, that's a surrogate parent.
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#20
Imo there’s actually nothing wrong with that and it doesn’t mean nepo babies can’t work hard and have their efforts recognized. If I were really wealthy and decided to have kids I would absolutely provide them with as many tools to become as successful, well rounded adults as possible. But it grinds my gears when someone refuses to admit how much easier it was to get to where they are because they were given better opportunities.
My SO and I had an ex-friend who is a recently graduated and board certified dentist and works full time at his parents’ clinic… both of whom are also dentists. He is an only child, only ever went to private school in Canada, studied at NYU for undergrad and dental school, but never had to work to afford tuition AND had a healthy allowance from parents as an adult. The only work experience he ever had was dental admin work for his parents during the summers in between. One time he told us that one time a patient of his called him a nepo baby and it really upset him because he “worked really hard”. Seriously??