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The lift with a mind of its own

What a wonderful analogy! Having been almost-stuck in a lift before and feeling that almost-terror, I can’t imagine what it must be like to be really stuck, alone. And yet parenting is just that – it doesn’t matter how many books you read, self-help videos or episodes of Super Nanny you watch... It doesn’t matter how often people sprout advice or how many times you Google different parenting issues, as parents we are ultimately alone in this quest to raise our own children.

We have recently gone through quite a rough patch with our 6-year-old son. He is in Grade R this year and I have had a sense for a while that he is struggling. He has an almost 2-year-old sister and, as with all older siblings, his world changed when she was born. He is a sensitive little boy and a wonderful older brother but I think he has internalised his struggle with no longer being an only child. This, along with some other things all came to a head earlier this year in an almost-crisis. In those moments when everything is coming undone at the seams, I feel like a caged mamma lion and I just want to run away. I feel so trapped and overwhelmed that it affects every moment of every day. But slowly and surely the lift moves (to use your analogy), I see the way ahead through the fog and put plans in place to move forward.

We have found a wonderful child psychologist for our son. She has done in-depth assessments which confirmed my suspicions and he is now in play-therapy. It feels good to know that I followed my gut feeling and fought for my child.

I think, as parents, it’s often easier to give up or give in when we feel trapped but it’s so important to push through the tough times and sort them out as best we can... for the sake of our children.

Bronwyn
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