The Conscious Parent

manifests intellectually as a black-and-whiteness concerning just about
everything, these children are often snubbed by their peers. This is
because, without realizing it, they come across as superior to the
everyday behavior of their peers, which they view as “immature.” Such
children rarely let go, let alone let loose. You won’t find them eating
watermelons with their face dug deep into the fruit. These kids use a
napkin, fork, and spoon.
Ironically, growing up with such a restricted worldview may produce a
parent who allows their children to run amuck precisely because this is
what they weren’t allowed to do. Accustomed to being controlled, these
parents allow their children to control them, duplicating the control they
lived under when they themselves were young. In contrast, if parents are
unable to tolerate their own emotions when things don’t go according to
plan, their children soak up these emotions, which then form their
emotional repertoire. Such individuals are triggered at every turn,
apparently under the illusion that ifthey react strongly enough, life will
bend to their will.
When a person with this egoic imprint experiences a downturn in some
aspect of their life and becomes exasperated, their exasperation is an
attempt to camouflage their insecurity. Unaccustomed to sitting with the
painful feeling of helplessness in a situation, their ego converts their
insecurity into indignation and rage. Anger is a powerful stimulant,
seducing us to believe we are strong and in control. Paradoxically, when
we are in the grip of anger, we are anything but in control. We are
prisoners of ego.