Does anyone NOT carry pain or resentment toward their parents? What was your upbringing like?

Like many others I think, on this sub, I struggled with emotionally unavailable and often abusive parenting (from my mother). I really struggle to remember so much of my childhood, I think because of the trauma of it all. I genuinely can’t remember any moments of joy, hard as I try.

I’m in therapy, working through it, it’s helping, but like so many others I’m also just trying to be the best parent I can be now for my kids - and not replicate that generational trauma.

What I keep wondering is, what was it like to grow up in a family where you felt safe, supported, or even just… loved for who you were? Could you talk to them about what was really going on in your life? Did they provide emotional support, or help you feel seen during your teenage years?

As a teenager, I always desperately wanted a mom who I could talk to, and be a friend. It seems, actually, that my friends who had this type of mom, actually had the least turbulent teenage years.

I guess I’m looking for hope. I want to believe that childhood doesn’t have to feel like something you need to recover from. If you had parents who gave you love and stability, could you share what that looked like in practice? Genuinely curious.

I also just adopted a little girl, and just trying to learn and be the best mom I can be for her, moving forward.