I was rolling on the bed with no signs of sleep at 2am. I knew something was off but couldn’t pin point what it was. I could see my 4-year-old getting irritated and stubborn for things that she wanted. She has never done that before. She was beginning to scream and cry to ask for things which she politely asked for before. Her sudden change of behaviour worried me to my stomach.
Heartbroken and clueless as to why this must be happening, I wrote this on chat gpt:
“Hey act like a pyscologist and tell me about the thing i am sharing. I have 4 year daughter and I had a very bad phase when I delivered her, so she has been through many fights and bad environment, many times I have treated her badly as I am little bit short tempered. Now her behaviour got very loud and she started shouting instead of saying.
So what should I do to improve myself and my daughters mental health..so she can become calm. And what is the maximum age you can change such behaviour in childrens.”
Here I am to sum up what the chat gpt told me that I could truly relate to: When the relationship between parents is strained, hostile, or emotionally distant, it can have a profound and lasting impact on a child’s mental health. Children are deeply sensitive to the emotional atmosphere in the home, and even when conflict isn’t directly aimed at them, they absorb the tension.
Constant arguments, silent treatment, criticism, or emotional detachment between parents can create a sense of insecurity and fear in children. This emotional instability often leads to anxiety, depression, or chronic stress, as children may feel helpless or responsible for the conflict. Their developing minds are highly impressionable, and being exposed to a toxic or cold parental relationship can distort their understanding of love, communication, and trust.
Children in such environments often struggle with low self-esteem and identity confusion. They may internalize the conflict, believing they are the cause or that they must choose sides, which can damage their sense of self-worth. In some cases, the stress from a negative home environment manifests in behavioral issues—such as aggression, defiance, or withdrawal—especially when children lack the emotional vocabulary or safe spaces to express their feelings. Their academic performance can also suffer, as their ability to concentrate and engage in learning is compromised by the emotional burden they carry.
What chat gpt wrote as a response got me thinking, am I too late to ask these questions? Can my child’s mental health never improve? Have I failed my baby to the point of no return? It was then that I asked more questions and chat gpt responded:
