The Consequences of Woke Parenting

A mother tells her four-year-old that he is born into a system of white supremacy. A father explains to his six-year-old that her body is not safe from patriarchal violence. A teacher tells a classroom of eight-year-olds that their country was founded on genocide. The children are not learning history. They are learning fear.In this episode, I examine the psychological consequences of woke parenting on young children. Research shows that children who are exposed to adult concepts of systemic oppression before they have developed the cognitive capacity to understand them experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. They are more likely to see themselves as victims. They are less likely to trust adults. They are less likely to believe that the world is a place where they can succeed.The episode explores the motivations of woke parents. Many are acting out of love. They want to protect their children from the harms they experienced. But they are protecting their children from harms that do not exist in their children's lives. The result is not resilience. It is fragility. The children who are taught that the world is out to get them grow up afraid of everything.Turn down the lights, put on your headphones, and press play because the consequences of woke parenting will be measured in therapy bills and broken relationships.