StrideOnSlide+FollowMy 10-Year-Old Niece Is Becoming Her Dead Mom's Clone 😢Ever since we lost my sister-in-law in that car accident last spring, our family has been walking on eggshells, trying to piece our hearts back together. My brother is struggling but putting on a brave face, while their grandma has practically moved in to help with my niece Emma and her little brother. Last Sunday, while I was helping Emma with her science project at the kitchen table, grandma pulled me aside and whispered something that made my blood run cold. "Looking at Emma sometimes feels like having my daughter back," she said with tears in her eyes. "She even does that little head tilt just like her mom used to." 😰 I get it—we're all desperate to keep my sister-in-law's memory alive. But Emma is only 10 years old! I'm terrified she's being pushed into this impossible role of replacing her mom instead of just being allowed to grieve and grow up as herself. I've been losing sleep over this for weeks now, but I don't know how to bring it up without seeming heartless. Have any of you dealt with family expectations like this after a loss? I really need to hear your stories. 💔 #FamilyGrief #ParentingStruggles #ChildhoodTrauma #FamilyRelationships334Share
Jennifer Wilson+FollowChildhood Trauma & Hidden Smoke RisksWild stat: Kids who go through tough stuff at home—like divorce or money problems—are way more likely to be exposed to tobacco smoke, even if adults only smoke outside. Turns out, thirdhand smoke (the stuff that sticks to clothes and furniture) is a real threat, especially for these vulnerable kids. Researchers say we need to tackle both trauma and tobacco exposure together to actually protect kids’ health. Who knew the smoke you can’t see could be just as risky? #Health #BodyHealth #ChildhoodTrauma61Share
Patrick Adams+FollowStrained Sibling Relationships Due to Childhood TraumaI’m curious if anyone else struggles with a tense relationship with their siblings due to a difficult childhood. My sibling and I are both in our 30s, and we had a rough upbringing filled with physical, emotional, and verbal abuse, as well as neglect from our parents. I can’t help but wonder if our unhealed complex PTSD (CPTSD) is somehow contributing to the strain on our relationship. It’s like we’re both stuck in patterns that are hard to break, and I’m not sure how to move forward. Have you experienced something similar? How have you navigated sibling relationships after a traumatic childhood? Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated. #ChildhoodTrauma #SiblingRelationships #CPTSD #HealingJourney #FamilyDynamics425Share
aaronmorris+Followthe poop incident that haunts meUnlocking a core memory I’ve tried to repress for 25 years: Kindergarten. Couldn’t hold it. Pooped my pants during story time. But that wasn’t the worst part. In my panic, I somehow STEPPED on it, then proceeded to walk around the classroom leaving little brown footprints EVERYWHERE while pretending nothing was happening??? My teacher’s face when she realized what the smell was… Pure horror. Mom had to leave work early. I got a new nickname for the rest of the year. Sometimes I wonder if Mrs. Johnson still tells this story at teacher happy hours. #ChildhoodTrauma #KindergartenStory383Share
Kimberly Parker+FollowVerbal abuse in childhood can damage the adult brain 😔 I'm living proofA new study looked at data from 20,687 adults in England and Wales between 2012 and 2024. It found that people who experienced verbal abuse as children were 1.64 times more likely to report poor mental well-being as adults. Those who went through physical abuse were 1.52 times more likely to struggle later in life, and for people who endured both verbal and physical abuse, the risk jumped to 2.15 times. I didn’t need a statistic to tell me this, but seeing the numbers made it hit harder. I recently learned what “reactive abuse” is and realized it was something my mom often did. It is when someone keeps provoking you until you finally react, then they point to your outburst as proof that you are unstable or abusive. It’s a common tool of emotional and verbal abusers, especially narcissists. For years I thought I had simply overreacted or been too sensitive. Now I see that what I went through has a name, and science shows the long shadow it can cast over mental health. Has anyone else had that moment where research finally explains why certain things in adulthood feel so heavy? #mentalhealth #emotionalabuse #childhoodtrauma #wellbeing #research #healing12776Share
