The burdens of our fathers: Confronting our childhood
The youth in Kenya are at a crossroads. We are growing up in a world that is constantly changing.
The world we live in now is arguably different compared to the one our parents grew up in. It is critical for us, young adults, to have the skills necessary to navigate life and deal with all that it throws at us.
Looking at my peers, it’s concerning that these life skills are non-existent. Without the knowledge of how to handle challenges in life, many young adults are forced to seek other unconventional ways to deal with their problems. However, a few have found therapy quite effective.
Mental health issues arise from a variety of sources, including childhood trauma, a skewed body image, social isolation, unemployment, bereavement, and poverty.
One major cause, however, that all individuals have to face sooner or later in life, and that is often the genesis of trauma, is parenthood.
Our upbringing affects all aspects of our lives, with the responsibility of raising useful members of society being vested on parents, who are only human and, therefore, flawed.
This huge task is overwhelming and doesn’t come with an instruction manual, which leaves parents winging their way through parenthood with some overdoing their tasks and others abandoning them altogether.
Our relationships with parents affects us profoundly and, inasmuch as we want good relations, many are either broken or non-existent.
Furthermore, the societal and personal implications that come with upbringing cause the new generation to struggle to cope with the realities of their parent's choices.
Young adults in our generation start out their lives with burdens that they have to endure from their parents’ choices which impact them as individuals.
From abusive parents — who lead them to believe that physical and emotional abuse is normal — to emotionally and physically unavailable ones and others who force their children into careers of their liking.
The damage inflicted by our parents is heavy, with far-reaching consequences.
We are constantly confronting the previous generation's ideas, while trying to develop our own.
Parents should strive to encourage their children to embrace life with all that it offers, as well as provide a conducive environment for their growth—physically, mentally, and emotionally—instead of imposing old-school rules on them. BY DAILY NATION
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