RE: Childhood stressors and the beginning of pathogenesis chain reaction (Part 2 - We carry the baggage of our childhood)
Oh, God, you did an amazing job here! I got so excited when I saw the heading that I got a tiny heartbeat!
Think of a new born child as a blank canvas. Now, every canvas have certain qualitative properties. These are internal to the material of canvas, or genes of the child. However, the child parents, teachers and peers are the artists. They will make strokes on this canvas. The final picture that emerges is a sum of all the strokes made. The better the base coats the better the picture. So if genes are material of paper, how the genes are expressed is controlled by the paints and brushes of the artists.
What a great metaphor you used to explain it!
Now imagine, for whatsoever reason, you thought disciplining a child by physical means was ok. Now maybe they don't develop a full fledged anxiety disorder, but do develop an anxious personality. Now, they go on to have your grandchildren. So what is the risk of a person with anxious personality to treat your grandkids the same way you treated them? Growing up in an anxious environment created by parents would be stressful for your grandkids, as well. So not only you are gambling with your kids, but you are gambling with generations to come.
I couldn't agree more!
I realise that nurturing a child is not an easy task. This article is not meant to give you any advice on how to go about your business. However, I do believe everybody's actions should be informed.
My first Steemit article was considering a similar topic. I am so happy that you decided to give us a biological perspective.
Most parents are far from being aware of the imprint their behavior leaves on their children's mental and physical health. Of course, it is not easy to be a parent and you cannot always make the right call. However, it is a huge responsibility and one should find ways to be informed.
Now, I am posting a series about stress and coping. So, one could say that we are in tune.
I will definitely go back and read the previous article because somehow I have missed it. Thanks for the excellent post :D
Thank you. I read your most recent post on coping with stress series. I really liked it. Will definitely be reading your previous posts that I missed. All said and done I do wish parents to be more informed about this. I have some of my closest friends who have psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis and Borderline personality disorder. You know what's common between them - one or both parents used to displine them using extreme physical means. And you are right that they are not even aware of it. Maybe if we could make people aware they will be more responsible in picking their means.
Thanks, @scienceblocks! I guess you are the only real person who has read it. Lol
Yes, sadly, this is still considered to be a good discipline tool :( It is excruciating to see how parents who claim to love their children treat them as if they are some kind of inferior beings "deserving" physical and emotional pain. I always get a bit judgmental when children are concerned. The truth is that it is never that simple and usually those parents simply don't know how to love and treat their children in another way. As you said, perhaps they were treated in a similar way during their own childhood.
Unfortunately, we cannot make people aware if they don't want to be aware. That's why we should find ways to make them curious about it. I think that you manage to do this :)