91 Selfish Parents Quotes: Illuminating the Dark Side of Parenthood

Discover a collection of revealing selfish parent quotes. Uncover the challenges of egocentric parenting and find courage from these quotations for a solution.

Aastha Pahadia
Written by Aastha Pahadia , Certified Relationship Coach
Updated on Jul 04, 2023 | 12:07 AM IST | 213.4K
selfish parents quotes
selfish parents quotes

Parenthood is often hailed as a boundless well of love, sacrifice, and selflessness. However, hidden within the depths of this noble endeavor, we occasionally encounter a different facet—the presence of selfish parents. 

Join us on a thought—provoking exploration of selfish parent quotes that encapsulate the emotional turmoil, heartbreaking consequences, and healing path in the wake of egocentric parenting. These quotes serve as windows into the lives of those affected, shining light on the struggles faced by both children and parents. They act as harbors of hope, pointing people in the direction of a more promising and compassionate future. 

Embrace the power of these words and embark on a transformative odyssey as we unravel the enigma of selfish parents, forging a path toward healing, compassion, and the unwavering love that defines true parenthood.

What are Selfish Parents?

selfish parents quotes

Prideful parenting displays a pattern of behavior that disregards their kids' emotional, physical, and developmental requirements by placing their own wants, goals, and interests above those of their kids. They often display a lack of empathy and fail to provide the necessary support, guidance, and nurturing for healthy growth and development. 

Self-centered parents may ignore their kids' fundamental needs, emotionally abuse them, put their satisfaction before that of their kids, and seem uninvolved in their life. They may also exhibit inconsistent or conditional love, withholding affection and attention unless it serves their interests. Selfish upbringing may have a dramatic and long-lasting detrimental effect on kids, leaving them with emotional scars, low self-esteem, a mistaken sense of their own value, trouble building good connections, and other problems that affect their overall well-being. 

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Understanding the mechanics of selfish upbringing may assist both kids and parents in recognizing the issue and finding the right remedies, such as therapy, counseling, or self-reflection, to break away from negative habits and make their home a healthier, more caring place for their kids.

91 Selfish Parents Quotes That Expose the Growing Problem

selfish parents quotes

1. “Fear-based parenting is the surest way to create intimidated children.” — Tim Kimmel

2. “The hateful and stinging words of a narcissistic parent can linger in the mind of an adult child long after the adult has left home.” — Shannon Thomas

3. “Narcissist parents do not know their children; they aren’t interested in what they have to say unless it affects them.” — Tina Fuller

4. “Good parenting give headaches, but bad parenting gives heartaches.” — Shiv Khera

5. "There are no illegitimate children — only illegitimate parents.” — Leon R. Yankwich

6. “If mental abuse was a punishable crime, a lot of parents would be in jail serving a long term.” — Maddy Malhotra

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7. “Remember, you are not managing an inconvenience; You are raising a human being.” — Kittie Frantz

8. “A narcissistic parent will provoke an independent child to anger in order to feel superior and prove the child’s flaws.” — Shannon Thomas

9. “In the narcissistic parent’s eyes, they do no wrong nor do they feel they should be held accountable for the bad and wrong things that they have done.” — Katherine Childress

10. “A narcissist parent is easily frustrated by a healthy independent child that they can’t control through parental emotional manipulation.” — Shannon Thomas

11. “Do your kids see your kindness, or are you always telling them NO?” — Brenda M. McGraw

12. “It has been my observation that parents kill more dreams than anybody.” — Spike Lee

13. “In the minds of my parents, they are the victims; I am the abuser.” — Christina Enevoldsen

14. “Parents wonder why the streams are bitter when they themselves have poisoned the fountain.”— John Locke

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15. “To all you parents out there, don’t make your little girls, or little boys, so thirsty for love that they will want to drink water that will poison them.” — Lisa Bedrick

The Dark Side of Parenting: Bad Parenting Quotes That Reflect Reality

selfish parents quotes

16. “If you teach hatred to your children, one day your child will have that hatred reflected back onto them and onto YOU.” — Suzy Kassem

17. “If we, as mothers, are not careful, we can begin to find our identity in our children and their behavior.” — Sue Detweiler

18. “Your kids require you most of all to love them for who they are, not to spend your whole time trying to correct them.” — Bill Ayers

19. “No child should ever have to bear the burden of parenting their own parents. To toxic parents, you existed to serve them all the time.” — Kim Saeed

20. “Narcissist parents don’t care about their children’s feelings at all. Only their feelings matter.” — Kim Saeed

21. “Don’t try to make children grow up to be like you, or they may do it.” — Russell Baker

22. “Parents. Honestly. Sometimes they really do think the world revolves around them.” — Randa Abdel Fattah

23. “Whatever parent gives his children good instruction and sets them at the same time a bad example, may be considered as bringing them food in one hand and poison in the other.” — John Balguy

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24. “You are not part of a dysfunctional family if you walk away.” — Unknown

25. “You must let go of the responsibility for the painful events of your childhood and put it where it belongs.” — Susan Forward

Toxic Family Quotes That Reveal the True Nature of Selfish Parents

selfish parents quotes

26. “In troubled families, abuse and neglect are permitted. It’s talking about them that is forbidden.” — Marcia Sirota

27. “When you grieve toxic, abusive parents, you don’t just grieve the abuse, you grieve everything you didn’t have.” — Lily Hope Lucario

28. “My parents loved us, but I wasn’t always sure they liked us.” — Tahereh Maf

29. “Your children vividly remember every unkind thing you ever did to them, plus a few you really didn’t.” — Mignon McLaughlin

30. “I built up so much hatred for my parents, like so much anger for the life they had given me.” — Tana Mongeau

31. “The toxic parent sees the child as a threat to their own ego and having the child overshadow the parent is not an option in their mind.” — Shannon Thomas

32. “Many children of toxic parents find it exceptionally difficult to identify who they are once they grow up.” — JR Thorpe

33. “Dysfunctional parents let their children know how burdened they have been by their children and how many sacrifices they had to make in order to raise them.” — Dr. Marita Sirota

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34. “The most loving parents and relatives commit murder with smiles on their faces. They force us to destroy the person we really are: a subtle kind of murder.” — Jim Morrison

Toxic Manipulative Quotes That Illustrate the Emotional Toll on Children

selfish parents quotes

26. “In troubled families, abuse and neglect are permitted. It’s talking about them that is forbidden.” — Marcia Sirota

27. “When you grieve toxic, abusive parents, you don’t just grieve the abuse, you grieve everything you didn’t have.” — Lily Hope Lucario

28. “My parents loved us, but I wasn’t always sure they liked us.” — Tahereh Maf

29. “Your children vividly remember every unkind thing you ever did to them, plus a few you really didn’t.” — Mignon McLaughlin

30. “I built up so much hatred for my parents, like so much anger for the life they had given me.” — Tana Mongeau

31. “The toxic parent sees the child as a threat to their own ego and having the child overshadow the parent is not an option in their mind.” — Shannon Thomas

32. “Many children of toxic parents find it exceptionally difficult to identify who they are once they grow up.” — JR Thorpe

33. “Dysfunctional parents let their children know how burdened they have been by their children and how many sacrifices they had to make in order to raise them.” — Dr. Marita Sirota

34. “The most loving parents and relatives commit murder with smiles on their faces. They force us to destroy the person we really are: a subtle kind of murder.” — Jim Morrison

Toxic Manipulative Quotes That Illustrate the Emotional Toll on Children

selfish parents quotes

51. “People tend to raise the child inside of them rather than the child in front of them.” — Joe Newman

52. “Here’s a shock: An adult who still hangs out in skate parks is a bad parent.” — Daniel Tosh

53. “No man should bring children into the world who is unwilling to persevere to the end in their nature and education.” — Plato

54. “I never had a speech from my father ‘this is what you must do or shouldn’t do’ but I just learned to be led by example. My father wasn’t perfect.” — Adam Sandler

55. “My dad taught me everything I know. Unfortunately, he didn’t teach me everything he knows.” — Al Unser

56.  “Being a parent is easy but being a good parent is tough as it requires a lot of dedication and goodwill.”— Anonymous

57. “If you want to live in your child’s memory, you must have to live in their lives today.”— Anonymous

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58. “Being a selfish parent is the biggest crime you can do to your child.”— Anonymous

59. “Most children would rather preserve the fantasy of a loving connection with their fathers and mothers, at all costs, even if it costs them their self—esteem.” — Keith Ablow

60. “When you’re three or seven years old, it’s less frightening to think of yourself as an unlovable, disappointing screwup than to recognize the fact that you’re living with a monster.” — Keith Ablow

61. “If parents wish to preserve childhood for their own children, they must conceive of parenting as an act of rebellion against culture.” — Neil Postman

62. “Anyone could father a child. But a good parent puts his child’s needs before his own. A parent should be selfless, not selfish.” — Penelope Ward

63. “Narcissist parents want total control. Take back your control. If possible, don’t accept any money, favor, items or anything from them.” — Tina Fuller

When Parents Only Think of Themselves: Toxic Parents Quotes

selfish parents quotes

64. “If your parents ignored you, or if they are just not emotionally available, or if they yell a lot, that is a type of trauma.” — Tucker Max

65. “Did you have parents or just some people who thought they should own somebody?” — Catherine Lacey

66.  “Being a parent does not give you an excuse for bad manners.” — Rosalind Wiseman

67. “It is the selfish parents who are to blame. Pay attention, be involved in your children’s lives. They are your legacy, your only hope.” — Aaron B. Powell

68. “If we never have headaches through rebuking our children, we shall have plenty of heartaches when they grow up.” — Charles Haddon Spurgeon

69. "When a parent's ego outweighs their love for their child, the innocent heart of that child bears the burden of their selfishness." — Anonymous

70. "The most devastating aspect of selfish parenting is that it robs children of their childhood, replacing joy and innocence with the weight of responsibility and unfulfilled needs." — Anonymous

Selfish Toxic Relationship Quotes to Reflect on: Form of Child Abuse

selfish parents quotes

71. “Unhappiness in a child accumulates because he sees no end to the dark tunnel. The thirteen weeks of a term might just as well be thirteen years.” — Graeme Greene

72. “Breaking free from the cycle of selfish parenting requires courage, self-awareness, and a commitment to rewrite the narrative, replacing selfishness with selflessness and healing the wounds inflicted upon innocent hearts.” — Anonymous

73. “Boys want to grow up to be like their male role models. And boys who grow up in homes with absent fathers search the hardest to figure out what it means to be male.” — Geoffrey Canada

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74. “She shrieked and shrieked for her mother, but her mother was already there. Her mother was the monster.” —  Holly Black

75.  “They should love you, just as you are. Parents should love their kids, right?” “You’d think so.” — N.R. Walker

76. “Any mother that could be cruel to a child is not going to apologize to that child when they have grown up.” — Rayne Wolf

77. “Somewhat paradoxically, parenting programs should focus on the behavior of the parents not the behavior of the children.” — Timothy Carey

78. "Today’s troubled homes are made by parents who want to have children but don’t want their children to have parents.” — Agona Apel

79. “All of us develop our expectations about how people will treat us based on our relationships with our parents.” — Susan Forward

80. “Becoming a father is easy enough, but being one can be very rough.” — Wilhelm Busch

Bad Family Quotes That Reveal the Selfish Side of Parenting

selfish parents quotes

81. "Children of selfish parents often grow up questioning their own worth, constantly seeking validation that was denied to them by the very people who were supposed to nurture and cherish them." — Anonymous

82. “A family who relies on their children for happiness make both their children and themselves miserable.” — Dennis Prager

83. “It doesn’t matter who my father was. It matters who I remember he was.” — Anne Sexton

84. “Being a father is an incredible experience. A selfish father is more concerned with his personal demands than with the needs of his child. He is, nonetheless, solely accountable for his child. A parent needs to know how his child is developing and his child’s fundamental needs.” — Anonymous

85. “Money doesn’t change men, it merely unmasks them. If a man is naturally selfish or arrogant or greedy, money brings that out.” — Henry Ford

86. “No, we don’t control who our parents are. We don’t control what color we are. We don’t control what home we are born into. But we control our attitude. We control our work ethic. We control our drive and our commitment.” — Dabo Swinney

87. "A selfish parent sees their child's achievements as a reflection of their own success, while a compassionate parent rejoices in their child's accomplishments without seeking personal validation." — Anonymous

88. “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” — Frederick Douglass

89.“When a father, absent during the day, returns home at six, his children receive only his temperament, not his teaching.” — Robert Bly

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90. “Every father should remember that one day, his son will follow exactly how his father put his needs above everyone else.” — Anonymous

91. “A father shouldn’t have to think of his needs first and then accommodate the child’s needs.” — Anonymous

Conclusion

The emotional exploration of self-centered parents' impact on children highlights the importance of healing and growth. The selfish parent quotes reveal the scars left by such parenting and the resilience it takes to overcome such circumstances. The wounds inflicted upon individuals do not define their worth or future, but they possess inherent strength and a spirit that can overcome dark shadows. To break free from selfishness and embrace genuine love and selfless dedication, individuals should seek support from therapists, counselors, and communities. By embracing healing, forgiveness, and growth, they can create a brighter future for themselves and their loved ones. By breaking free from selfishness, we can create a world where children are cherished, nurtured, and thrive in the embrace of selfless love.

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FAQs

How do you deal with selfish parents?
Dealing with selfish parents can be challenging, but strategies include setting boundaries, seeking support from trusted friends, practicing self-care, developing coping mechanisms, and seeking professional help if necessary. Prioritizing well-being, engaging in activities that bring joy, and developing coping mechanisms can help manage the emotional impact of selfish behavior. Seeking professional help if necessary can help overcome the situation.

What do narcissistic parents say?
Narcissistic parents often display manipulative and self-centered behaviors, such as blaming others for their success, expressing gratitude, and judging others for their shortcomings. These statements reflect a distorted perception and should not define one's self-worth.

How does a toxic mother affect you?
A toxic mother significantly impacts emotional well-being, causing low self-esteem, fear of rejection, difficulty in relationships, emotional trauma, increased susceptibility to mental health issues, self-blame, and self-destructive behavior. Healing may require therapy, self-reflection, and building a supportive network.

How do you talk to a selfish parent?
To communicate with a selfish parent, choose a private, calm setting, use I statements, be clear and assertive, set realistic expectations, and seek professional mediation if necessary. Prioritize your well-being and seek support from trusted friends, family, or professionals during the process.

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About The Author
Aastha Pahadia
Aastha Pahadia
Certified Relationship Coach

Aastha is a certified Relationship coach and she strives to help those who seek expert advice on relationships.

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