You hit a really important foundational issue when you wrote parents feel "wholly responsible for our children’s mental heath". I would extend this beyond mental health to all things about parenting from birth well into adulthood.
By being "wholly responsible" we run the risk of eliminating diverse ways of being, living, coping, and loving - and this is what allows us to connect more deeply with people who are not just like us.
What you are bringing to light here is so so important for humanity.
When we consciously or unconsciously structure our family interactions where our children are commodities or outcomes to our efforts, we constrain them as autonomous souls.
You hit a really important foundational issue when you wrote parents feel "wholly responsible for our children’s mental heath". I would extend this beyond mental health to all things about parenting from birth well into adulthood.
By being "wholly responsible" we run the risk of eliminating diverse ways of being, living, coping, and loving - and this is what allows us to connect more deeply with people who are not just like us.
What you are bringing to light here is so so important for humanity.
When we consciously or unconsciously structure our family interactions where our children are commodities or outcomes to our efforts, we constrain them as autonomous souls.
Absolutely! I’m so glad that came through, and yes, I agree that this extends much further than just mental health.