Encouraging Personal Agency

Brandon explores how parents can foster personal agency in their children. He explains how parents often unintentionally enable their children by providing endless resources without clear boundaries, which leads to resentment on both sides. Parents feel frustrated by their child's lack of responsibility, while children become dependent and resistant to change. He emphasizes that boundaries protect emotional health and resources, rather than controlling others, and that consistent follow-through promotes accountability and personal growth. Brandon also examines how parents' guilt and fear of their child's failure lead to enabling, which, despite being rooted in love, stunts both the child’s and the family’s development. True support involves allowing children to experience natural consequences and fostering resilience and independence. By challenging the victim mentality in both parents and children, Brandon advocates for personal agency and breaking the cycle of enabling and resentment through healthy boundaries. This allows parents to model strong relationships, balance self-care with family expectations, and create an environment where both parents and children thrive.