--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because children are totally dependent on…" description: "\"“Because children are totally dependent on their parents for their physical and emotional survival, their need for parental love is absolute. The norma..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c33/susan-forward-4980_children_because-children-are-totally-dependent-o_2145818.jpg" --- # Because children are totally dependent on their parents… ![“Because children are totally dependent on their parents for their physical and emotional survival, their need for parental love is absolute. The normal need for bonding with the parent becomes more intense if the parent withdraws love and becomes a figure of fear and anxiety. The more frightening…” quote by Susan Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c33/susan-forward-4980_children_because-children-are-totally-dependent-o_2145818.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c33/susan-forward-4980_children_because-children-are-totally-dependent-o_2145818.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c33/susan-forward-4980_children_because-children-are-totally-dependent-o_2145818.jpg) > ““Because children are totally dependent on their parents for their physical and emotional survival, their need for parental love is absolute. The normal need for bonding with the parent becomes more intense if the parent withdraws love and becomes a figure of fear and anxiety. The more frightening the parent, and the more he threatens to pull away, the more fiercely the child will cling to him in an effort to regain the parent's goodwill. To the confused child, the angry parent, who both loves and hurts, is a giant. This giant controls the child's life through the use of fear and the manipulation of love. The child must be constantly designing her behavior either to avoid the parent's wrath or to get the parent's approval.”” [Susan Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-forward/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children cling more tightly to fearful parents, seeking love while avoiding pain, creating a cycle of manipulation and control. **In simple terms:** Kids cling to scary parents for love. Key Takeaway Recognize and break fear‑based attachment patterns. Themes attachment family dynamics psychology control love Mood anxious reflective Type psychological advice When to use this quote - parent‑child therapy - family counseling - personal boundaries - self‑esteem work Key Concepts dependency fear conditioning emotional manipulation Questions to Reflect On - How does fear shape your relationships? - What steps can you take to foster healthier attachment? A Different Perspective Children may also develop resilience and autonomy despite fear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bonding Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bonding-parent-4489399/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Fear And Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-and-anxiety/) [Frightening Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening-parent-4489400/) [Intense Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense-parent-4489397/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Parent Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent-intense-4489398/) [Parental love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parental-love/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [There is nothing that compares to the bonding between parent and child in that first year of life. 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