The Balance of Love and Discipline: Nurturing Joy

Child rearing is not simply a set of rules and demands, but a process that shapes a child’s inner world and their ability to find joy in each day. From the earliest age, a child learns to perceive the world through relationships with those around them, and it is warmth, attention, and love that help build healthy self-esteem and confidence in their own abilities.

When, in the process of upbringing, neglect or excessive control prevails, it negatively affects the child’s emotional state. Too strict boundaries and a lack of support can gradually deprive them of a sense of self-worth, which in turn makes it more difficult to recognize the positive moments in life. By employing a one-sided approach, parents risk extinguishing the energy that would otherwise allow a child to delight in simple, yet fundamentally important, aspects of life.

In the end, the harmonious development of an individual is only possible when there is a balance between love and discipline. By providing the child with an environment in which they feel desired and supported, we lay a solid foundation for their future ability to openly experience joy, relish life, and look confidently toward the future.


How can upbringing limit the ability to enjoy the positive aspects of life?
Child rearing has a profound impact on forming a child’s emotional world and their capacity to notice and enjoy the positive moments in life. If an atmosphere is not created during the upbringing process in which the child feels desired, loved, and supported, their self-esteem may decline and their inner sense of joy can be stifled. For example, one source emphasizes that “Children form their attitude toward themselves based on how those around them treat them. By neglecting a child, you thereby lower their self-esteem. If a child does not receive what they need, they consider themselves unworthy of attention” (source: link ). This clearly indicates that a lack of care and attention can lead to difficulties in embracing positive experiences and pleasure later in life.

Alongside neglect, an overly strict and one-sided approach to upbringing—where the focus is solely on discipline—can also have destructive consequences. When a child’s personality is subject to excessive control and suppression, it leads to a distortion of their inner world, resulting in the loss of their ability to enjoy life. As noted in another source, “Incorrect parenting will deform the personality both in its self-awareness and in its activity” (source: link , page: 322). Such an approach contributes to an accumulation of emotional tension that subsequently hinders the perception of the positive aspects of the surrounding reality.

Thus, upbringing that lacks a balance between high expectations and genuine love can limit a person’s ability to enjoy the positive moments in life. When a child does not receive a full emotional response, it becomes more difficult for them to build healthy self-esteem and learn to view joy as something natural and well-deserved.

Supporting citation(s):
“Children form their attitude toward themselves based on how those around them treat them. By neglecting a child, you thereby lower their self-esteem. If a child does not receive what they need, they consider themselves unworthy of attention.” (source: link )
“Incorrect parenting will deform the personality both in its self-awareness and in its activity.” (source: link , page: 322)