My greatest achievement...

[shadesong]

I was talking to stronae about this this weekend... the realization surprised me, so I kinda kept repeating myself, so stronae can skip this post because he's heard it like 20 times already.

I've recently realized that I have successfully raised Elayna up til this point, age 7, without any trauma in her life.

To be fully amazed, you must know that I was irretrievably fucked up by the time I hit the age of 5. I was in therapy by 7.

Elayna's fine.

She's a well-adjusted, intelligent, caring, *good* little person. I have kept her from being fucked up (so far, knock wood).

Go me.

Comments

[melintur.livejournal.com]

Well, you're just going to have to try harder. (Taps foot)

:D

-=C

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Bitch. :)

[ilexx.livejournal.com]

that's awesome. it sounds like you've managed to take everything you learned from your own negative experiences, and turn them into a positive influence, or at least taken the knowledge of them and prevented them from being repeated. GREAT!!!

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Exactly - all I know is what *not* to do! :)

[deza.livejournal.com]

Good mommy. Many honey-butter biscuits. :)

I hope I'll be able to say the same in four years...

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

I'm sure you will!

And don't forget what you've done for yourself!

[terig.livejournal.com]

Definitely do not forget that you too are a decent, nice and caring person. Mousy told me so and I can see it from your LJ.

You could have ended a lot worse off, and you didn't. So, that is another great achievement. :)

Obviously Elayna has gotten it from somewhere. :)

I was seriously fucked up by five too, but didn't get into therapy until I was into my 20's. Better late than never, that's for sure.

Re: And don't forget what you've done for yourself!

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Thanks! :)

[metaphorge.livejournal.com]

This is indeed a hell of an achievement. :)

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

My greatest achievement thus far. :)

Wow.

[snowelf.livejournal.com]

Quite an achievement. She's lucky to have you for a mother.

Re: Wow.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

I'm lucky to have her as a daughter. She's truly an amazing little person. :)

Hi...

[avivasedai.livejournal.com]

I'm aViva, or you can call me that anyway, and I've been reading your journal for a little while now. I found you through Iroshi. She's been my LJ-friend for ages. I'm going to friend you; I'm interested in keeping up with your journal and what better way, eh? Feel free to peruse my journal and decide I'm boring, or otherwise. *grin*

Good for you for raising your child into the person she is. Someday I'm sure she'll say the same thing to you. }B-)

Re: Hi...

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

*beam* Well met! I get such good people through Iroshi...

Re: Hi...

[iroshi.livejournal.com]

I'm going to take high pride in that compliment, if you don't mind. ^_^

Re: Hi...

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Don't mind a bit. :)

[ariedana.livejournal.com]

I truly admire moms like you that manage to be so balanced and loving when they come from bad backgrounds. My sister is doing the same for my niece and is breaking many generations of emotional issues to raise a truly happy and loved child. It's very inspiring.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

It's hard work! But it's so worth it. :)

I understand that

[b3wear.livejournal.com]

I am also pretty amazed that I have kept my daughter safe and healthy up to this point. My childhood didn't hit "fucked up" until about 14.

I'm really thankful for the things she has going for her. She still sees her father every weekend. He and I are descent to each other. There aren't alot of people in and out of her life. She feels very secure. Great grandparents - that are taking her on a trip to Chicago in a couple weeks (I'll miss her.)

Let's hope we can keep up the good work!!

Re: I understand that

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm an abuse survivor, so I've always been hyperaware of who I let her be alone with... and she's fine so far on that front. She doesn't have her birth father in her life - never met him - but yendi is a fantastic father figure for her, and she has tons of grownups friends along with her kid friends. She lived within 10 minutes of her grandparents until last summer - she's spending the summer with them right now.

*high five* We rock, you know, you and I. :)

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

way to go. it's tough, I know. I had the pleasure of helping raise two fine young gentlemen in your hometown some years ago... smart cookies, good gene pool (even though it wasn't mine)... the most important thing their mom did for them (even before I got there) was give them a well-formed set of bullshit detectors... they'll survive public school now, even though their mom isn't here to help them.

what gets me is that SO MANY folks just don't bother at all... it's good to see there are still some folks out there who, despite being scared and self-doubtful screw their courage to the sticking point and don't fail and actually raise normal, well-adjusted, polite, insightful kids.

Maybe I can do it to....

p.s. you keep posting in wolfieboy's journal, just hadda come take a peek... :)

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Like I said elsewhere in replies to comments (too many replies, I'm getting lost!)... it's hard work, it really is, but it is so very worth it! :) Elayna is a fantastic little person, too - I started out with good source material, she's not a particularly difficult child. I'm incredibly lucky.

Peek all you want, I like the peeking. :)

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

She's such a great kid. Be proud!

And love the new icon, btw!

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

I'm very proud, and thanks! :)

[voltbang.livejournal.com]

This parenting stuff is easy, if I have doubts about what I'm doing, I just ask myself what my parents would do, and do something else.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

My parenting style exactly. :)