Can the scapegoat help the golden child?

Scapegoating is a group dynamic where one person is singled out by the rest of the group, and becomes a target of blame, abuse, and other negative treatment. While the golden child can do nothing wrong, the scapegoat can do nothing right.

What does it mean to be the family scapegoat?

Commonplace in toxic families, scapegoats are children blamed for all of the problems in dysfunctional households. The term “scapegoat” originates from the Bible. When children are assigned this role, the impact can be detrimental to their mental health and emotional well-being for a lifetime.

How do I stop being a family scapegoat?

5 Steps to Stop Being the Family Scapegoat

1. Only accept what is truly your responsibility. Allow them to take responsibility for what is theirs.
2. Give yourself permission to step away.
3. Refrain from arguing.
4. Lean on your circle of support.
5. Remember compassion.

When the golden child become the scapegoat?

If a child is giving the parent their “narcissistic supply” they may be treated as the golden child, but the minute they try to develop a sense of individuality, they may revert to scapegoat status because they are no longer acting as the perpetrator wants.

Why do siblings scapegoat?

In adulthood, scapegoating became a way for adult children to hide the fact of family history of abuse by blaming everything on one member who seemed vulnerable for attack. At times the scapegoat targeted by the sibling who was always the favorite of the family.

What happens when the golden child fails?

The penalty for failure is criticism and disappointment from parents and other caregivers. The agreement is this: The child succeeds, and the parents in return bestow their love. And the child unconsciously comes to believe that their parents don’t really love them — they love the child’s accomplishments.

Who is the scapegoat in a narcissist’s family?

Some theories suggest that the scapegoat is the whistleblower or the truth teller in the family. However, the narcissist will claim that this child is treated differently for obvious reasons. They have apparently always been a difficult child; while of course, the golden child wasn’t.

What is the difference between a scapegoated child and a Golden Child?

The narcissistic golden child is often a replica of the narcissistic parent. They subconsciously take on the narcissistic parent’s values, beliefs, and way of life. They integrate these beliefs into every aspect of life. Whereas the scapegoated child consciously completely rejects the narcissistic parent’s way of life, beliefs, and values.

What happens when the family scapegoat leaves?

Most of the time, tension increases after the family scapegoat leaves. With nobody to automatically blame, the narcissist scrambles to find an outlet. Many times, narcissists quickly find something or someone else to blame. If there is a golden child, they may start there. Suddenly, the golden child may take over the scapegoat’s role.

What happens to the Golden Child when their sibling is a narcissist?

It is likely that if the golden child honours their scapegoated sibling in this way, (which is highly unusual) both children will be discarded from the family for having dared challenge the narcissist. When I write about narcissism, I write about what I have witnessed happen in families where there is a narcissistic parent.