Okay, this is something that's had my butt chapped for a few years..12.5 to be exact. My ire with this started when I began dating my husband. I call it The Forgotten Child Syndrome. For those of you like myself that didn't have siblings or maybe your parents gave enough of a damn to ensure it didn't happen in your home, I will explain.
The Forgotten Child Syndrome is when one child, for various reasons, gets an unproportionate amount of attention, love, treats, whatever, and their sibling is summarily dismissed. They don't get the attention, no voice in family outings, have to give up possesions, privacy, most everything for the sibling.
WHAT THE FUCK??
Now, maybe it's just me ( and I'm okay with that) but why have two kids to ingore one? Survivial of the fittest??
Don't get me wrong, I understand completely that babies need alot more time and there are situations with special needs children that just can't be helped. No, what I'm talking about is two perfectly normal, healthy kids, just one is getting the shaft.
It's not only detrimental to the Forgotten Child, but the one getting all the attention becomes spoiled, selfish, destructive and grows up thinking the world owes him. To quote my best friend " Don't save for college, save for bail."
My husband was the Forgotten Child, not only with his half-brother but also his two step-brothers. Darrin was completely screwed over in most things while little brother got all the loves and snuggles and time.
Fast forward 26yrs and every one of his brothers has been in and out of jail, hooked on some big time drugs, and have serious responsibility issues. Hmmmm.
So if you've got a kid that maybe doesn't get as much love and attention as the other, give them a big hug. It won't kill the other one. |
Submission Name: WTF pt 2 : The Forgotten Child
punishment all on its own (to this day I hate spicy foods, thanks Dad, ha ha), push-ups (I look back and think my Dad was never in the military, why those?), standing with my nose in the wall and if I moved I’d get hit (I hated that one it was very intimidating) ok enough of that. anyhow my Dad’s stuff was much better than my step mother she would drag out sh*t for hours, ever had an eight hour punishment on all levels? emotional, mental, and physical? trust me it sucks. maybe you have more of an insight into why I would have traded my shi**y childhood for the life of a forgotten child. anyhow nicely done, Traci 