And this rejection has many faces. Consider the case of parents who are rarely at home with their children. Mom and Dad may be totally tied up in their jobs or given to some form of recreation that excludes the children. They put themselves first in order to preserve their lifestyles. . . . To put it brutally, children have gone out of fashion. . . .
Life is tough and it all gets a bit self-absorbed.
Then, in some cultures men with a macho self-image may not wish to be seen in a nurturing role. They prefer the strong, silent heroism of battling external forces to the people-intensive jobs. And, of course, one of the most people-intensive jobs today is being a parent. Poor parenting is tantamount to rejection of the child. As a result, your son or daughter may develop a negative self-image and poor social skills.