The Myth of the 'Happy Childhood’…
Els De Schaepmeester
Although there are those among us that will instantly admit to having had a very challenging upbringing, the majority of people will answer positively when you ask them: “Did you have a happy childhood?”
Parents were around, food was available, school was alright and so on. It isn’t until you really ‘zoom in’ on the different aspects of growing up that a less ideal picture emerges.
Maybe dad wasn’t very ‘accessible’ emotionally and maybe mom had a tendency of being a little too controlling. You may have spent your yearly vacations at beachside resorts but – truth be told - you may never have felt very supported, understood or encouraged on an emotional level.
In adulthood we so often think that the emotions we feel around a current situation and the way we deal with our problems today have nothing to do with our past. We perceive our issues as being part of merely ‘now’. However, this is rarely the case: the time spent with our caregivers has a major impact on our later life, often in ways that aren’t easy to identify.
So even for those of us with so-called ‘happy childhoods’ the inner work you do on the dynamics your parents offered can be truly transformational for your life as an adult.
Unhealthy family traditions don’t need to be passed down to future generations. Honoring the best your family had to offer and letting go of the patterns that won’t be so helpful in the future is a great service to yourself and anyone who is connected to you!
© Els De Schaepmeester
For more info on how to work with me: www.thehouseofhealing.info