Parents
👭Imposing Life Path; Discipline interpreted as rejection
The scenario for Parents & Child is now complete, with each developmental stage showing how parental control, care, and the child’s experience can be either reinforced or reimagined depending on the mental model lens.
👨👩👧 Parents & Child
Parent imposing life path
Assumption: “I know what’s best for my child.”
Mental model work helps parents notice when they’re projecting unfulfilled desires.
Child interpreting discipline as rejection
Belief: “My parents don’t love me because they set limits.”
Assumption: “I know what’s best for my child; discipline is necessary for success. I do it because of the love I have for my child.”
Self-discipline: Surface the difference between control and care; ask whose values are guiding decisions.
Surfacing helps distinguish care from control.
Systems Thinking Research & Leadership Development Institute (STRLDi) 