😶🌫️ What it means to have grown up with a neglectful parent
Growing up with a neglectful parent meant learning to survive on emotional and physical scraps, becoming your own caretaker when you needed care the most.
You may have experienced a childhood where basic needs like food, clothing, medical care, or educational support were inconsistently met or completely absent. While your friends had parents who checked homework, prepared meals, or noticed when they were sick, you learned to navigate these essential needs alone. You might have become a tiny expert at resourcefulness—cooking meals you could barely reach the stove for, signing your own school forms, or diagnosing your own illnesses through library books.
This experience taught you incredible self-reliance but came with a profound cost. You may have learned that your needs were inherently burdensome, that asking for help was dangerous, and that survival meant shrinking your existence to fit what felt available. Even now, you might find yourself hoarding resources, feeling guilty when others show up for you, or being genuinely surprised when care is offered without expecting something in return.