Breaking the Cycle of Toxic Parenting and Finding Your 'True Role as a Parent'! Every parent wants their child to be happy above all else. Educating children from a young age, sparing no time or effort for their benefit—all of this is done for the sake of the child's happy future. Yet many parents unknowingly leave deep scars on the hearts of the children they cherish more than anything, never realizing that their own words and actions can become toxic to their child. Even while doing their best to raise their children, parents can end up inflicting lifelong 'unhappiness' upon them—all in the name of love. "Don't Be a Toxic Parent" invites us to reconsider what it truly means to love our children. The author, Susan Forward, is an internationally renowned psychotherapist who identified six types of parents who harm their children, coining the term 'toxic parents.' Children raised by toxic parents not only suffer from low self-esteem but often live difficult, unhappy lives—and worse, they tend to pass this pattern down to their own children. Through numerous real-life cases, this book explains how to heal and overcome childhood wounds, helping readers reflect on lives worn down emotionally and build a healthier vision of what it means to be a good parent. By the final page, the burdensome weight of parenting will feel lighter and easier, opening the way to a happier future for both parent and child. Part 1: Toxic Parents Chapter 1: "My Parents Are Always Right" – Parents Who Act Like Gods I'm wrong and my parents are right / My parents keep bringing up my mistakes / 'Denial' prevents us from seeing reality clearly / They're actually really good people / My father was my whole world / Don't deify parents who are gone / You're such a troublemaker Chapter 2: "I Never Really Had a Childhood" – Irresponsible, Inadequate Parents How do we learn about the world / Childhood stolen / When the roles of parent and child are reversed / If not me, who will meet my parents' needs / Parents who show no concern for their children / Even after divorce, parents must take responsibility / Why the pain continues into adulthood Chapter 3: "Why Do They Control Everything?" – Manipulative Parents It's all for your own good / Blatant, direct interference / Still treating me like a child / Subtle, covert manipulation / Self-destructive rebellion against parents / Manipulating children even from the grave / Parents satisfied with their own lives don't manipulate their children Chapter 4: "I Hate Having a Drunk Parent" – Alcoholic Parents Pretending everything is fine / Feeling more responsible for others' emotions / Why can't they break free from old habits / Unable to open up to anyone / Becoming a scapegoat even at the cost of self-destruction / The compensatory drive to achieve beyond one's ability / Mistakes made by codependent parents / Parents hold the key that controls their children's lives Chapter 5: "I Have Deep Emotional Scars" – Parents Who Wound with Cruel Words One cruel word can ruin a child's life / Parents who see their children as rivals / Parents who brand children with insulting words / Parents who push children toward perfectionism / You should never have been born / Children grow into what their parents tell them they are Chapter 6: "Being Hit Hurts So Much" – Physically and Sexually Abusive Parents The real reason parents hit their children / Parents who release anger and frustration through violence / Parents who hit their children in the name of making them 'good people' / The spouse who stays silent about abuse / It's my fault I got hit / The 'good child' who keeps the family secret / A pot of anger simmering inside / The most cruel and devastating kind of abuse / Why do children stay silent about sexual abuse / I feel responsible for something dirty and shameful / A father jealous of his daughter's boyfriend / The other parent who stands by and does nothing / Cutting ties with a troubled parent Chapter 7: Why Do Parents...