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Have you put your life on hold?
Don’t let this need keep you stuck
Parents are people too. As children, they were our gods and everthing we first perceived about life depended on their influence regardless of the job they did or didn’t do. As we develop, the relationship should change from training to influence as kids grow up and strike out on their own. Yet, we somehow never forget to think of them as mom and dad and that they can actually have a life outside of us.
There comes a time when mom and dad no longer needs to parent and can relate instead. A time when kids are no longer just the first and only priority and they can plan other interests to their life. A time when we have to put on our Big Girl/Boy pants and deal with our own shit.
As a regular Dr Phil fan, I am fascinated by stories about family dysfunction. One topic of interest are the ones about adult children who want to confront behaviours that their parents did that hurt them. Normal never looks the same to every family but when kids get old enough to understand the media, develop friends and broaden their understanding of the world, they now have benchmarks to define their understanding of family.
It is during these times that expectations are created and needs become apparent. Depending on their own personality traits, how a family interacts will form…
