When did I become the one seeking their approval, not the other way around? If you’ve ever felt like you’ve had to shrink yourself just to keep the peace or stay connected, please hear this. Maybe they say things like, “You wouldn’t understand. ” But over time, if you’re not careful, that kind of self-sacrifice can turn into something else, something painful.
Not to support your child, but to stay in their good graces. But any parent over 60 will tell you that’s not true at all. Because here’s the truth most people won’t say out loud. The relationship between parent and child should evolve, yes, but it should never reverse.
You were not put on this earth to become your child’s emotional servant. You brought them into the world. They still matter. It’s about living in a way that says clearly and without apology, “I matter, too.
” Because kids, no matter how old they get, still take cues from their parents. And not because they’re ungrateful, but because that’s what you’re modeling. If you set a boundary and hold it, not with anger, but with confidence, they’ll begin to understand where your lines are.
And that understanding, even if it’s uncomfortable at first, creates a sense of emotional safety for both of you.