Final answer:
Children can influence parents into irresponsible behavior through constant needs that overwhelm, devotion to specific interests at the expense of responsibilities, daily conflicts, and making major life decisions.
Step-by-step explanation:
There are various ways through which children might influence their parents to engage in irresponsible behavior. If a child, like an infant daughter who puts everything in her mouth including non-food items, requires constant surveillance, a parent might become neglectful due to stress if they lack support. An eight-year-old son who is failing math because of his sole focus on baseball could lead to a situation where the parent may adopt a permissive parenting style, allowing the child to avoid academic responsibility.
Another example is a two-year-old daughter who refuses to wear clothes picked out by the parent, which may result in daily conflicts that wear down a parent's resilience to stress, potentially leading to irresponsible reactions. Lastly, an 18-year-old's decision to forgo college to become a ski instructor might cause strain if it conflicts with the parents' values or expectations, increasing family stress that can result in irresponsible parental behavior.
Factors such as substance abuse, social isolation, depression, and a history of being mistreated contribute significantly to a parent's ability to be responsible. In families with substance abuse, there is a higher risk of neglect and physical abuse. Additionally, the behavior of some children, such as an 11-year-old class bully, may reflect deficient parenting practices, which either stem from or lead to irresponsible behavior on the part of the parents.