Zenya

Jodi&Joe

Curious -

I come from a very strict upbringing.  Well, eh, I don't know about that.  But my father was VERY "a child should be seen, not heard!"  We were afraid of him (rightfully so) and therefore, NEVER acted out.  I'm not kidding you.  We NEVER did a single thing to embarrass him (or make him nervous, as he would call it).  My mom was WAY less strict however we wouldn't want her to get beat (by him) so we wouldn't act out.

Because of this, I know I have a very skewed perception of "normal child behavior."  There was no such thing as that in our house. 

So I'm curious.  Were you raised in a similar way?  Seen not heard?  Never acting out, etc?

Now I can't tell you what we were like in the early years, which is where most of our angst is currently.  I mean, I don't remember how we acted when we were 3,4,5 or even 6 years old.  Maybe we were terrors (I highly doubt it).  I think that also skews our perception since most of us likely don't remember those trying times for our parents and have a weird sense of what "normal" should be.

 

Zenya

YES.  Well my dad was kind of 'gone' a lot of the time and my mom was v. depressed.  So everything was QUIET and we were very 'good' (my sister and I) and v. afraid of her although for no reason that I can really articulate now that I analyze it.  She raged on occasion but not day in day our or anything.  I rage MUCh more!!  

 I think I need a therapist though for real.  I SUCK at life atm.