Parenting is climbing a mountain

Why does parenting feel harder for some people?

I like to compare parenting to climbing a mountain with a heavy backpack.

We’re all climbing and learning and sometimes getting tired. Sometimes it’s really hard but often the hard times are worth it for the views and the joy that we get from moving up this never-ending, yet beautiful mountain.

Everyone finds it tiring, but those of who have suffered more trauma in childhood, (or who had more Adverse Childhood Experiences as it’s sometimes called) have a heavier backpack to carry. Sometimes it feels REALLY heavy.

Unfortunately, we don’t know how heavy other people’s backpacks are, but we compare and judge, ourselves and others.

I think it’s important to acknowledge that it IS harder for some people than others, especially those parents who don't want to pass on the trauma or burden. The good news is, it’s possible to become the parents we strive to be with the right support.

There’s many ways we can we can find ways to strengthen our bonds with our children while addressing the effects of our own past experiences.

One of them is Attachment Play.

If you would like to learn more, you can watch a short course on playful parenting here.