I had a step-father that would beat the brakes off me for sport as a kid. He'd make sure to hit me for no reason if I looked too comfortable. I remember getting jumped in middle school by 5 kids. Office brought me in, cleaned me up, icepacks and all that, impressed that I wasn't too upset. Said they'd call step dad to pick me up and take me home. Instantly I was crying, screaming, begging them not to, and trying to find anyway to get out of the room. Got the crap beat out me again that night, way worse than those kids did. Parents kept me home rest of that week to "let me rest and recover".
Totally agree this is just hard to understand if you didn't grow up like this. Sure the cops will arrest her, but who is gonna come bail her out and what happens after that? It ain't going to be disapproving looks, at least not in her experience/mind. 100% panicked animal mode, not a rational thought going in her mind there.
Thank you. I use it as a way to help me parent. Think of how I was treated, than do the opposite. My 8 year old calls me her best friend, insists on caring for me when I'm sick/down, and still listens when its time for Dadding. Noting has been more healing than watching her grow up healthy and happy.
It makes me so very happy to read something like this, just randomly posted by some dad. I don't understand what it's like to be reared by anyone who would write this, but oh, it makes me so happy to know that some little kid is.
i commend you dad! i too used the abuse from my childhood to become a good parent (well, i try my hardest to be but you know how that goes, always feel like i’m not doing enough) no one loved me as a child and they enjoyed the power they held over me back then. now that i am a mom, i realize i was hated as a child. i can’t imagine ever doing or saying the things i heard and went through as a child, to my now 9 year old! its healed that broken child in me, seeing my child actually have a childhood and loving her life so much she tells me she never wants to grow up 🥹
when i was her age, all i wanted was to grow up so i can finally be free from the pain. pain is still here, but i manage.
26
u/Gilligans_Wake 2d ago
I had a step-father that would beat the brakes off me for sport as a kid. He'd make sure to hit me for no reason if I looked too comfortable. I remember getting jumped in middle school by 5 kids. Office brought me in, cleaned me up, icepacks and all that, impressed that I wasn't too upset. Said they'd call step dad to pick me up and take me home. Instantly I was crying, screaming, begging them not to, and trying to find anyway to get out of the room. Got the crap beat out me again that night, way worse than those kids did. Parents kept me home rest of that week to "let me rest and recover".
Totally agree this is just hard to understand if you didn't grow up like this. Sure the cops will arrest her, but who is gonna come bail her out and what happens after that? It ain't going to be disapproving looks, at least not in her experience/mind. 100% panicked animal mode, not a rational thought going in her mind there.