Parents are supposed to guide us and prepare us for our lives on our own. Sometimes they get it right, and sometimes they fall short. Some parents care beyond what their roles should be, while others could care less.
In A Mother's Pain, Linda and Daniel are a combination. To Anna's sisters, they care and probably got it right. But in Anna's case, they fell short. Not because they didn't try, but because they didn't care. Linda was more about using Anna as a gopher than a daughter. This hindered her mental health. The stress of being a mother of three added up and Anna needed help. She was fine when Mark (her husband) was home, but being alone with the children had it's ups and downs. We've all been there.
When Linda offers to help, Anna and Mark move in with them, but she doesn't get the help she "needs", making life a living hell. This is one story where you want to yell at the nemesis, namely her mother. But what does Linda do that's so terrible? And how does Anna rise above it?
What makes a mother good at being a mother? Is it how she speaks to her child? Tell her she's going to be okay when things are tough. Is it how she is there for a child, giving feedback when needed, but not being too pushy? Is it how she guides them and protects them? Or can it be simply being there to offer an ear when her child wants to talk things through? When no manual guides the mother, how does she know she's doing the right thing? Will her mistakes cost her everything? Or will those mistakes bring her closer to her children? It's a lot to think about.
The roles of a parent are important for any child's well-being. You can think you're doing the right thing and not get it right. And every child is different, so one thing can work wonders on one child and do damage to another. And when you make those mistakes, can a parent make up for it? Or are they doomed to live with their mistakes forever? Being a parent can be frightening but also a wonderful experience.
Are you a parent? Did you learn how to be a parent from yours? Or did you change things based on something else? What roles do you share in your family as the parent? Care to share?
