• angrystego@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Becoming a parent is not necessarily about trauma and anxiety - not everyone reacts this way, some people genuinely enjoy becoming parents, including women. What I think is kind of almost universal though, is the new responsibility. That can force you to mature too.

    I fully agree on the losing loved ones part.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Becoming a parent is not necessarily about trauma and anxiety

      No. There’s a great deal of joy in being a parent, too. But a big part of caring for a child - particularly a toddler or per-adolecent - is having one eye open to the child’s safety, constantly. Kids be doing crazy shit. Its normal and healthy, from a development perspective. But terrifying for a caretaker, whenever the kid behaves recklessly (or in any way the caretaker perceives as reckless).

      Its an inherent trade-off. Watching a kid walk for the first time or ride a bike for the first time inevitably means watching them fall or crash. The agony and the ecstasy.

      • angrystego@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        I know very well what you’re talking about and I feel pretty competent to say that not everyone reacts with anxiety or even trauma to a reckless child. Not everyone’s feelings are on the same level in the same situation.

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      some people genuinely enjoy becoming parents

      The only time in my life I ever enjoyed singing, was singing nonsense songs to my little ones

      As my little ones graduated from toddlers to kids, I rediscovered my love for Lego

      As my little ones graduated from kids to teens, I rediscovered my love for sports. I’ve never gotten so excited to watch a game as when my kid is playing

      Damn right some of us really enjoy being parents. Damn right being parents can help some of us rediscover some of the joys of childhood. And it’s not just for women