Becoming a parent is a great adventure and the birth of a child is bound to change things in our lives. When we become parents, many questions and doubts arise. We’re here to share our experience, doubts and stories with you to help you blossom in this role of a parent.
Parenthood is a beautiful feeling, yet it does come with some immense difficulties and challenges. The birth of a child is a lifechanging event but it can be daunting and intimidating. Discover our experiences here.
'When you look into your mother’s eyes, you know that is the purest love you can find on this earth.'
- Mitch Albom
Do you remember back in the day when you were a teen and constantly fought with your parents, and in particular your mom? Whether it was because you wanted to stay out past your curfew or chose to parade around in your new miniskirt, many of us have faced constant battles with our mothers. However, for those of us dealing with a narcissistic mom, the problems don’t stop when we finish puberty, no, in fact, they stick with us throughout our lives and make it impossible for us to establish a healthy relationship with the person who brought us into the world. Now, if the scenarios below seem all too familiar, then you might just have been raised by a narcissist.
I subscribe to several profiles of moms on social media with only one child. I’ve seen the same rant on their posts and stories many times: let me have just one child! Tired of the never-ending question “When is the second child coming?”, they spoke out to say that their choice to have just one child was heavily criticized. But why is this decision to have just one child perceived so badly? Let’s find out.
Sunday, 8.30 pm, it’s quiet again at home and I take the opportunity to make myself a promise; this week I’ll hold firm and I won’t scream at my children. Except I’ve already made myself this promise several times, yet never seem to be able to stick to it… Things have to change, but how can I get my children to listen to me without raising the decibels?
When we’re little, we love them unconditionally and do anything to seek their affection. Our parents are our role models, our inspiration, our protection. Then, when puberty kicks in, and we become teenagers, war sometimes breaks out. This is all very normal, but once the period of hormones and braces has passed, it’s not always a given to love your parents, and that’s okay, plus admitting it feels fantastic!
I’m turning 32 soon, and yet my family still treats me like a child. They infantilize me by criticizing my choices, whether they’re important or insignificant... But they also tell me what to do, without it being a suggestion, it’s really a step to follow. Nevertheless, I consider myself old enough to be able to make my own choices and act as I wish! Why am I being treated like this? How do we avoid infantilization by our parents, our family, and even our in-laws? Here are some answers.
Giving birth went really well for me, I have fond memories of it, but I also remember one of my friends who was really sorry she couldn’t come and meet my baby at the maternity ward. She was so traumatized by her experience giving birth that she couldn’t set foot in the maternity hospital where her daughter had been born more than a year earlier. I remember her calling me from the car park, tears in her voice and shaking: “I can’t go in, it’s too hard... don’t be upset with me.” I knew that giving birth had gone badly for her, but I didn’t understand just how traumatized she had been by this event.
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
- Oscar Wilde
