The parents always tell the child that he could do even better if he works harder. But no matter how hard he tries, he seems to fail in the eyes of his parents and, ultimately, in his own eyes. This results in painful frustration and self-devaluation. As the child is unable to live up to his parents’ high expectations, his efforts seldom get parental approval and appreciation. This tends to discourage the child from making more efforts. The child eventually feels -1 can’t do it anyway, so why try?