Mollycoddling

Mollycoddling refers to a tendency to pamper, spoil, or overly protect someone, often leading to a lack of resilience or independence. The term suggests excessive indulgence in someone's needs or emotions, preventing them from facing life's challenges and hardships. This behavior can undermine personal development, as it may shield individuals from the necessary struggles that foster growth and maturity.

Mollycoddling meaning with examples

• The teachers were criticized for mollycoddling their students, always providing them with answers instead of encouraging independent thought and problem-solving skills. This approach left the students unprepared for real-world challenges and unable to think critically, as they had never been pushed to explore their own capabilities.
• His overly protective mother was known for mollycoddling him throughout his life, always intervening whenever he faced any hardship. This led to an adult who lacked basic life skills, unable to navigate responsibilities or make decisions without her input, diminishing his confidence and self-sufficiency.
• In the world of sports, mollycoddling young athletes can be detrimental. Coaches who don't challenge their players may inadvertently hinder their growth and development, as players need to learn how to cope with failure, work through adversity, and build resilience to succeed in competitive environments.
• Mollycoddling children can create a false sense of security. For example, a parent who prevents their child from experiencing failure by always stepping in to help may unintentionally instill fear in the child. They may grow up to avoid taking risks, missing out on valuable lessons about perseverance and hard work.
• The company's policy of mollycoddling employees by offering excessive benefits and comfort often resulted in low productivity levels. Workers became too reliant on the perks and lacked motivation to excel or push boundaries, ultimately leading to stagnation and a lack of innovation in the workplace.