‘It’s emotional abuse’: John Marsden says overprotective parents are setting kids up to fail

Children are being overprotected and it’s setting them up for failure as adults, according to much loved author and educator John Marsden.

His latest book, The Art of Growing Up, addresses an issue he says he’s seeing more and more among children — they’re ill equipped to deal with the real world.

Mr Marsden said the problem, which has only emerged in the last decade, is so severe that he would categorise it as “emotional abuse”.

“People think they’re doing the right thing, they’re trying desperately to do the right thing, but they’re actually doing a lot of harm,” he told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell.

“They’re not giving their kids first-hand experiences.

“Their world’s are so limited and their experiences are so limited that they’re not being set up for a successful adult life.

“The emotional resilience that you need to be an adult will not just happen miraculously when you turn 18.”

Press PLAY below to watch the full interview.