To be a child vs to be a parent

[Dippydonky]

Hi all,

I don’t have children at the moment but I/we have been thinking about it for a while. This has got me pondering attachment/relationships/roles etc.And how in all of our relationships the two ‘sides’ of the relationship probably don’t feel that bond in the same way as our perspective is different.

So, I have parents and from me ‘the child's’ perspective that relationship makes me feel safe/at home/not alone/protected/like a central part of the family. But I wondered what it feels like from a parents perspective? How does ‘been the child’ compare to ‘been the parent’?

I have 2 children who are in their late teens.
From my perspective being a parent is a mixture of unconditional love towards them with a level of fierce protectiveness. I would literally die for them and I absolutely love seeing them grow up, become their own people and following their own paths.

It’s weird. Since I have had my son I have dreams in real places, with my family unit (never happened before - always unknown places and never with people I actually knew) and sometimes they are bad. I no longer wake if I or someone dear like my DP is injured/ life threatened or dies. I now only wake when it’s my son in the firing line.

Last week Dp was eaten by a zombie in the garden and I just decided I had to sacrifice him by leaving him and locking the door to save my boy. Poor soul. 🤣 He wasn’t very happy about it when I told him but in real life I am sure he would understand

I think it's all individual. My parents don't make me feel safe and central - only my partner makes me feel that. My parents make me feel observed.