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Can 'being a parent' and 'regret' be used in the same sentence? Are we evolved or aware enough to even consider it? Here is a snippet of a conversation on parenthood!
[With modern life comes, modern problems; climate change, inflation, unstable housing market and fear of the next pandemic. And these immediate concerns have put many people from embracing parenthood or forced them to re-examine parenthood from a new angle. The author of this post has provided a point of view, which may or may not align with the readers. The author doesn’t mean to judge anyone’s choices.]
Can ‘being a parent’ and ‘regret’ be used in the same sentence? Are we evolved and/or aware enough to even consider it?
Here is a snippet of a conversation on parenthood!
R says: The other day I read an articlewhich covered some parents expressing regret over
parenthood; so, as a generation are we evolved enough to be able to express regret (if that is how we feel) over becoming parents?
S says: I’m not sure. I mean, I understand it, and I’m certainly not judging it. It once again boils down to the issue of commitment. Parenting is hard work. And it is a commitment of a lifetime.
And in today’s nuclear family setting, parents are on their own. It is natural to get overwhelmed. It is natural to feel a sense of regret over lost freedom.
You are no longer the same person you once were, and there’s no going back.
My two cents on this: Accept it. Accept that you aren’t perfect and you feel remorse from time to time. Accept that you cannot give up. Get a babysitter for the nights it gets too much and take some time out. And move on.
What’s your take?
R says: Well, parenthood is tough. I think different generations has different issues; these days because of tons of choices available to us, we see what we are missing out on while rearing a child, and that probably makes one feel miserable.
Am I evolved enough to claim I am miserable when I am; well, yes, I guess.A few generations back or more ago, all that the majority of women were doing: was taking care of their family. Nor was there the pill or concept of family planning, which made parenthood a compulsion. In such a scenario, women of that time, probably if they did not have children; there would be tons of remorse because of the times they were living in.
Hence, now I think this is not a case of evolved minds, it is just a case of changing times!
Image source: Greenaperture via Getty Images, free and edited on CanvaPro
We are an author duo who love writing together. We have written a couple of books together, Tete a tete with R&S and Anu and Isha. read more...
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