Why We Still Seek Our Parents’ Approval

Key points

Family patterns can change—start with small steps.

Let go of old roles, make room for connection.

Asking for help shows strength, not weakness.

Parker Young and Janel Parrish in Christmas on Duty. Source: Fred Hayes/Hallmark Media

This third installment in my series on Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas explores the difficulty of living under parental expectations—a theme that resonates far beyond holiday movie plots. Last week’s blog examined the ways we sometimes sabotage our romantic relationships , often without realizing it. Christmas on Duty reminds us that even amid festive cheer, many people struggle with the invisible weight of trying to live up to a parent’s standards or making peace with the feeling that they’ll never be “enough.”

In Christmas on Dut