Narcissism Glossary

A parent's dreams loaded onto the child (vicarious living)

👤 Projecting one's unfulfilled ambitions and desires onto a child or partner — invading their autonomous life and demanding achievement. Rather than guessing motives, look at the behavior: overriding the person's aptitudes, refusals, and choices to decide their path and their goals for them.

Often seen in situations like these

👩‍⚕️ The child says they want a different path; the push toward medical school continues.
👑 The child's success gets claimed as the parent's own — and every school and career choice draws interference.

When this happens, try this

💡 Hearing a parent's expectations and being required to live them are different things. After weighing your aptitudes, circumstances, and responsibilities, the final choice can be yours.

Topic Family roles & structure · Term Vicarious Living · Also known as Vicarious Living

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