As we grow up, we look back on our childhoods and we think about the way in which our parents had done things.
Once we become parents ourselves, we start to realize why our parents had made the choices that they did. There are many times when we get older, we look back and wish that things were done differently or that we were taught different things at an earlier age.
SensitiveScarcity444 said she wishes that her mom had not been so critical of her at such an early age. Judging her so young and being so critical about her daughter did not work well for her. She also wished that she had communicated more.
"Don’t tell me to love myself and then criticize your body in front of me and wonder why I developed the very same ED as you when my body started looking like yours. If I ever have kids, especially girls, they’ll never hear me say a damn word about my body or other women’s bodies. Oh and I wouldn’t have told 15 year old me that my legs were too fat for shorts," said Ok-Wait-8281.
Special_Koala_1093 said that she felt as though she was a "thing on a checklist" more than a child to her own mother. Her mother had wanted kids so badly, but she never actually took the time out to be a parent.
Time-Boss-3867 said that their mother would shame them for spending their own money on things they liked and enjoyed. For example, if they had purchased concert tickets, their mother would make them feel like it was a waste.
"Not have a favorite child. The favorite child abused me for years. My mother knew I was abused by him and still treated him like he did nothing wrong. It wasn’t until I had a nervous breakdown at 29 that my mother started to believe me," shared Scuh.
Destorted_sasquatch said that they wished their mother would have stopped drinking earlier in their life so that they didn't have to look back and see their mother in such agony. It would have changed the perception that they have of their mother.
"Set more boundaries. I grew up in a very warm, loving, free household, but as a young teenager I got sick and I got special treatment. My parents were worried about my pain, the mental health issues that came after, and they had difficulties finding a balance on what rules were appropriate for a sick teenager and which weren't," said Daisybelladonna.
xLadyLightx said that they wished their mother was "less dismissive" of all of the problems they had. When they had undergone a period of depression, their mother would say things that would simply make everything worse.
TooHardToThinkOfName said they wished their mother had been less overprotective and less of a helicopter parent. She said that she did not get to have many experiences that her peers did, like playing outside in the street or riding a bike because her mother was too fearful.
Gasmaskgoddess said she wished her mother had gotten help when she needed it instead of taking her problems out on her own children. And, to also let her kids be kids, instead of having to raise and watch one another.
"Stop telling me how much I always embarrassed her with my 'failures' and stop the nonstop complaining about my dad who funds her lifestyle. If you hate him so much get divorced and stop always asking really personal questions about my marriage to compare," shared greenshampoodle.
Lonely_Lake_9129 said that their mother had made them feel like a "burden" when they had to do anything outside of the house. Whenever they had a play date or a birthday party, their mother would make it seem like a problem to have to drive them anywhere.
dreamweaver1998 said she wished her mother had listened more and talked less. You can learn a lot about your children when you stop to just listen to what they have to say. After all, you know what they say when you assume.
"Wouldn't force me into the religion. She wanted so much to make me an obedient, God-fearing Catholic daughter, she forced the religion down my throat 24/7. Now, thanks to her, I despise the religion," shared Samira827.
cambiokeys shared that if they had to change one thing, it would be that their mom had chosen a man over her own child. She wished her mom had picked her own child over the man who ended up being a terrible person and landing himself in prison.
