no subject

[firecat]

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/when-kids-have-to-act-like-parents-it-affects-them-for-life

destructive parentification [is] a form of emotional abuse or neglect where a child becomes the caregiver to their parent or sibling. Researchers are increasingly finding that in addition to upending a child’s development, this role reversal can leave deep emotional scars well into adulthood.

This article doesn't go as far as I'd like in questioning inadequate US/western paradigms about dependence/independence/codependence/interdependence. But there's some good stuff.

Comments

[bibliofile]

Oh, thanks for the tip. It looked interesting, but I hadn't yet decided to click through.

(Original article is at The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2017/10/when-kids-have-to-parent-their-siblings-it-affects-them-for-life/543975/)

[firecat]

Thanks!

[snippy]

Look, it's me!

[firecat]

I thought of you.

[snippy]

It's nice to be known.

[kore]

Nakazawa has conducted extensive research on the body-brain connection, with a focus on studies initiated by physicians Vincent Felitti and Robert Anda. Their work on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has since grown into a burgeoning field with hundreds of peer-reviewed studies. The findings show that people who experienced four categories of childhood adversity—neglect and physical, sexual, and emotional abuse—were twice as likely to be diagnosed with cancer and depression as adults.

Ohhhh yeah that. (Nearly my entire family has sky high ACE scores. It's uh something!)

[eeyorerin]

My kid (who I did not give birth to but became the parent of when he was aged 5) also has/had a very high ACE score. I am grateful for the work that informed the therapists and professionals who have helped me to help him.

[firecat]

You are doing such a great job raising him.

[eeyorerin]

If you ask him, right now I am The Worst Parent Ever because I have put a moratorium on pets for now. It's nice to have normal parent-child conflicts (even if exasperating at times).

[firecat]

Moratorium on pets! You monster! <3

[firecat]

:_(

[noelfigart]

That was an incredibly interesting article. I agree that the dependence/interdependence and so on stuff really needs a LOT more attention and exploration!

[firecat]

Glad you found it interesting!

[silveradept]

ACEs and their related studies are a relatively new body of work, and now that they've proven themselves worthy of integration, we're finally starting to see some of the research on things that ACEs have exposed as needing further study, like resilience and confidence and dependence and the like. So, hopefully, with time and funding, some of those questions can be answered.

[firecat]

Good to know, thanks!