General Discussion

laundry_queen

(8,646 posts)

109. I can relate

Wed Feb 12, 2014, 02:12 AM

Feb 2014

I hated being a kid. Couldn't wait to grow up. I'm not sure I have PTSD over it, as I wasn't hit all that much - I was expert at avoiding it but not 100% of the time - but both my parents are narcissists. Lots of emotional abuse and manipulation. Everything looked perfect on the outside though. Which means everyone now just thinks I'm bitter or spoiled.

Did I have good memories as a kid? Well, my parents tried to put on the 'good parent' show and do things with us - but any joy was marred by the sheer terror that something MIGHT cause my dad to lose his temper and lash out or my mom to shame us and give us the silent treatment (which would then trigger my dad's temper). I guess my word cloud for my childhood would have:

"WALKING ON EGGSHELLS"

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IF you could do a Word Cloud of your childhood...what would show up LARGE? [View all] angstlessk Feb 2014 OP

FEISTY ohheckyeah Feb 2014 #1

I consider that a compliment... angstlessk Feb 2014 #2

And precocius ohheckyeah Feb 2014 #3

All compliments...I was rebellious...but that is where the "what is wrong with you" came from angstlessk Feb 2014 #8

My dad used to say I was a rebel ohheckyeah Feb 2014 #24

This thread could turn into a lot of fun! Control-Z Feb 2014 #4

Or not. REP Feb 2014 #7

Angst can be...if not fun... angstlessk Feb 2014 #10

Angst would have been fanfuckingtastic. REP Feb 2014 #21

Do you have a LARGE word or sentence in a Word Cloud angstlessk Feb 2014 #49

Fear REP Feb 2014 #82

That is very general...FEAR of what...the boogy man? angstlessk Feb 2014 #86

None of your fucking business REP Feb 2014 #107

My theory has always been angstlessk Feb 2014 #132

Line up! Who did it? notadmblnd Feb 2014 #136

Of course, you're right. Control-Z Feb 2014 #83

What did Dostoesvsky say about happy families? REP Feb 2014 #108

Traveler. Cleita Feb 2014 #5

At 18 months I am sure you did not appreciate the travelling..but from then on... angstlessk Feb 2014 #6

No, but the passports, ship and air itineries my mother kept as Cleita Feb 2014 #9

Sounds like a priceless childhood... angstlessk Feb 2014 #11

I was very fortunate for the experience, but Cleita Feb 2014 #37

Me too. A HERETIC I AM Feb 2014 #12

My sister and I came from the same home...she had a lust to travel angstlessk Feb 2014 #14

Living in Athens, Greece as a 7 year old.... A HERETIC I AM Feb 2014 #26

Wow. I'll bet your family took you to the museums and to look Cleita Feb 2014 #46

I'll say one thing about my dad... A HERETIC I AM Feb 2014 #56

Yes. Every day is an adventure but I often wonder how my Cleita Feb 2014 #40

We moved all the time too. The longest we lived in one place was maybe 5 years. JDPriestly Feb 2014 #129

We're really poor OR this really sucks. al_liberal Feb 2014 #13

Nothing like variety...you had NONE angstlessk Feb 2014 #17

If you don't behave I'll sell you to the Gypsies. Scuba Feb 2014 #15

Damn...that sounds like a threat...a scary threat at that! angstlessk Feb 2014 #19

Scary at first, but even as a kid you realize it's just an empty threat after 10-12 times. Scuba Feb 2014 #23

There was a time in my childhood when it was a distinct possibility A HERETIC I AM Feb 2014 #32

whiffleball RussBLib Feb 2014 #16

We too played baseball..from morning till the sun don't shine angstlessk Feb 2014 #22

Fantasy NV Whino Feb 2014 #18

Was it a GOOD tune out or one that caused problems... angstlessk Feb 2014 #34

Definitely a good tune out. NV Whino Feb 2014 #63

Well, in that case, I may choose YOUR trouble on the trouble tree... angstlessk Feb 2014 #64

Some onomatopoeia of the sound of my mom throwing things... Rhythm Feb 2014 #20

I'll rec any post with the word "onomatopoeia" in it. Rec. Scuba Feb 2014 #25

Okay I had to look up 'onomatopoeia' and it does not sound good for you angstlessk Feb 2014 #28

crash-bang-rattle-boom... usually accompanied by yelling Rhythm Feb 2014 #48

I would never pick your troubles from the tree of troubles...mine seem so miniscule now angstlessk Feb 2014 #51

Reading. dixiegrrrrl Feb 2014 #27

Playing outside barefoot all summer. Reading, hearing the radio on all the time. Dolls. northoftheborder Feb 2014 #29

You must be a southerner...we do like to be barefoot angstlessk Feb 2014 #58

Yes, Texas. Even with hazards such as pieces of metal in ground, splinters, hot pavement, those.. northoftheborder Feb 2014 #115

Stuck in the middle... babylonsister Feb 2014 #30

Ah, ocean/beach angstlessk Feb 2014 #45

REAGAN WilliamPitt Feb 2014 #31

Yes, the 50's had 'Drop and Roll'..then the Cuban Missle Crises...followed by a quite...TILL angstlessk Feb 2014 #38

NIXON A HERETIC I AM Feb 2014 #43

I was all growed when Nixon happened...I have no idea how it would impact a child angstlessk Feb 2014 #57

We lived in DC from '67 to 72 and a lot of the lead in of Watergate happened while we lived there. A HERETIC I AM Feb 2014 #74

Even from Australia, as a kid you remember more than I angstlessk Feb 2014 #76

I remember the exact moment when my Mom told me "John Johns Daddy is dead" A HERETIC I AM Feb 2014 #77

ROTFPMP...keys indeed n/t angstlessk Feb 2014 #78

"Just tell the truth." reusrename Feb 2014 #33

I think they use that in interrogation cells angstlessk Feb 2014 #39

Early one Saturday morning before daybreak, reusrename Feb 2014 #50

That is too funny!! Caught with your hand in the proverbial cookie jar angstlessk Feb 2014 #53

Many years later my aunt asked if we remembered it, and of course we both did. reusrename Feb 2014 #59

And your aunt turned out to be the roadrunner... angstlessk Feb 2014 #60

Reading shenmue Feb 2014 #35

If READING is your GIANT child word cloud...I envy you... angstlessk Feb 2014 #41

Thank you shenmue Feb 2014 #47

DANGER snooper2 Feb 2014 #36

Did your parents define the danger or just let it kinda corrupt your mind? angstlessk Feb 2014 #42

Building ramps off the side of the chicken shed at 8 years old snooper2 Feb 2014 #100

So the 'danger' was you to yourself... angstlessk Feb 2014 #174

Olly Olly In Come Free! gollygee Feb 2014 #44

Yes, summer games that we could play till dark... angstlessk Feb 2014 #54

GREAT question!!!! Squinch Feb 2014 #52

Close your eyes and think about when you were a kid angstlessk Feb 2014 #55

you're beautiful Quayblue Feb 2014 #61

You are not just beautiful...you won the lottery for good parents angstlessk Feb 2014 #62

dont make me cry lol Quayblue Feb 2014 #69

Not to cry...to be joyfull angstlessk Feb 2014 #73

BRADY BUNCH. It was on three times a day. :) reformist2 Feb 2014 #65

That sounds like a distraction rather than a reality angstlessk Feb 2014 #68

Here's Mine: RBInMaine Feb 2014 #66

Sounds like well adjusted adults raised you... angstlessk Feb 2014 #71

Well adjusted, real, down to earth, good people. RBInMaine Feb 2014 #113

What I heard most often was... pipi_k Feb 2014 #67

WOW..I am leaving your troubles on the tree... angstlessk Feb 2014 #70

"MickeyBobbyJimmySandyTammy!!!" pinboy3niner Feb 2014 #72

A Pow Wow ensued... angstlessk Feb 2014 #75

Ninja turtle... Lost_Count Feb 2014 #79

I remember Ninja Turtles...not from my childhood...but my sons angstlessk Feb 2014 #80

weird that this OP is so triggering. . . zazen Feb 2014 #81

That was my hope for my son... angstlessk Feb 2014 #84

The hardest part of doing "right" is figuring out what that is. reusrename Feb 2014 #99

I can relate laundry_queen Feb 2014 #109

That term makes your life much seem more simple than it was... angstlessk Feb 2014 #171

My childhood trauma was mostly confined to middle and high school. hunter Feb 2014 #159

Heathen and eejit would dominate. Solly Mack Feb 2014 #85

Your parents called you a heathen...that is a pretty strong admonition angstlessk Feb 2014 #89

Eejit is the Irish and Scottish form of idiot. And, no, heathen was never said meanly. Solly Mack Feb 2014 #96

WOW my family is Irish...thanks for this lesson...I will remember it... angstlessk Feb 2014 #98

We must be related. (The lack of mentioning men.) Solly Mack Feb 2014 #106

FIRE, electricity, reading, computers, FISH, sunburn, ER. hunter Feb 2014 #87

So you were a wanna be pyromaniac... angstlessk Feb 2014 #92

Mom:Don't embarass me. Dad: Fuck social conventions, I'm outta here nt riderinthestorm Feb 2014 #88

Sounds like your father embarassed your mom...and left? angstlessk Feb 2014 #90

Oh yes. Absolutely nt riderinthestorm Feb 2014 #91

HELL!! idendoit Feb 2014 #93

Well there ya go...where is the fire and brimstone? angstlessk Feb 2014 #94

I was physically, mentally and sexually abused. idendoit Feb 2014 #157

I am so glad you survived angstlessk Feb 2014 #158

The joy is that my job is to help others. idendoit Feb 2014 #165

WOW... angstlessk Feb 2014 #167

Let go, let Love. It's the reason for the season. idendoit Feb 2014 #170

Go get the belt Pretzel_Warrior Feb 2014 #95

DAMN!!!!! Leave THAT problem on the problem tree...That would be called abuse today angstlessk Feb 2014 #97

You are correct Pretzel_Warrior Feb 2014 #103

I feel for you pretzel. CFLDem Feb 2014 #131

Anxiety through spacial relationships and such Throd Feb 2014 #101

Pondering the imponderable angstlessk Feb 2014 #117

Exploration and "We have to move." ChisolmTrailDem Feb 2014 #102

Heck I had trouble making friends and I went to the same school 7 years angstlessk Feb 2014 #119

anxiety nt Deep13 Feb 2014 #104

Mourning. Blue_In_AK Feb 2014 #105

Not sure if that happened in Alaska, but there is a tough place to live... angstlessk Feb 2014 #120

It was in Ohio, actually. Blue_In_AK Feb 2014 #151

DAMN...at such a gentle, formative age... angstlessk Feb 2014 #153

Thank you. Blue_In_AK Feb 2014 #161

Batman TlalocW Feb 2014 #110

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #111

"I have a new book for you today" Art_from_Ark Feb 2014 #112

You had a head start over the ones who spent their time on cartoons angstlessk Feb 2014 #124

Oh, I watched my share of cartoons, too Art_from_Ark Feb 2014 #175

OUTSIDE and AGAIN ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #114

In again Finnigan my mother used to call each time we came back into the house angstlessk Feb 2014 #116

Daddy's very sick and is frogmarch Feb 2014 #118

Losing a parent as a child, I think, (I could be wrong) angstlessk Feb 2014 #121

"How's your homework, Chickedee?" and "Let's go out." haele Feb 2014 #122

My bedroom always looked like a scene after an earthquake angstlessk Feb 2014 #125

Pokemon sakabatou Feb 2014 #123

You must be young...or a lot younger than I angstlessk Feb 2014 #127

I wasn't really an avid collector of either cards sakabatou Feb 2014 #130

LOVE JDPriestly Feb 2014 #126

You are ONE lucky person!!!!!!!! angstlessk Feb 2014 #128

My mother studied child development in college and lived with a professor JDPriestly Feb 2014 #133

I find it sad that you said angstlessk Feb 2014 #138

Actions create concequences!!! bravenak Feb 2014 #134

A bit of Physics, a bit of Agriculture...a demand angstlessk Feb 2014 #137

Yes, we had to mark our stuff. bravenak Feb 2014 #141

6 kids is certainly a large family...and you the only boy...oh my angstlessk Feb 2014 #143

Girl. bravenak Feb 2014 #144

OOPS...poor stepdad...he was certainly outnumbered :-) angstlessk Feb 2014 #145

I felt his pain. bravenak Feb 2014 #177

Jennifer, Cathy, Clara, Patty... Damn it you know who you are! notadmblnd Feb 2014 #135

Were you one of quadruplets? angstlessk Feb 2014 #139

No, but we're right in a row. notadmblnd Feb 2014 #140

AHHA she was using psychology..."You know who you are" angstlessk Feb 2014 #142

Yeah, she knew that we knew which one of us she wanted. notadmblnd Feb 2014 #147

Affection. dipsydoodle Feb 2014 #146

I bet that really made you feel loved... angstlessk Feb 2014 #148

Surf panader0 Feb 2014 #149

OKAY, now, you are only showing off... angstlessk Feb 2014 #150

Goodbye. enlightenment Feb 2014 #152

That brings to mind a kid sitting in the back seat of a car angstlessk Feb 2014 #154

HORSES Arugula Latte Feb 2014 #155

If your obsession was satisfied...you were a sportsman :-) angstlessk Feb 2014 #156

Horse larkrake Feb 2014 #160

Would that be the drug or the animal? angstlessk Feb 2014 #163

Space JHB Feb 2014 #162

A child of the 60's...Sputnick vs our walk on the moon angstlessk Feb 2014 #164

Geezer! I was 4 1/2 when Apollo 11 landed JHB Feb 2014 #166

We love you JustAnotherGen Feb 2014 #168

An imp...who could object to being an imp? angstlessk Feb 2014 #169

Like JustAnotherGen Feb 2014 #172

imp parents are the greatest...at least your seemed to be angstlessk Feb 2014 #173

Mine are... Prophet 451 Feb 2014 #176

Go outside and play! femmocrat Feb 2014 #178

FUN - BUCOLIC - STONED davekriss Feb 2014 #179

Alcoholism Adsos Letter Feb 2014 #180