susannah
Posts: 79
Joined: 10/19/2004 Status: offline
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At the risk of sounding like a big sucker, I do come from a family of social workers, teachers and (gasp!) lawyers. I am no expert, but I've heard and read this, so, as I heard on this post one time "bring your own grain of salt" - but - some of this I've read in several different places, and it sounds like it could be true. There's a theory (and it's only a theory, so please nobody shoot the messenger) that people who were not raised in any kind of conventionally "functional" family before the age of 10 or so take years after they leave their "family of origin" to make up for lost ground. They supposedly have problems with the whole concept of "delayed gratification" - working and waiting for something they want, as opposed to having to have it (whatever - a relationship, a piece of candy, a drink - whatever - Right Now (because if they don't get it Right Now, they think otherwise they might not get it at all). According to this theory (which has a name I can't remember right now), they could consider themselves lucky to run into someone who wants to "help" them make up for the structure their lives lacked early on, but it might take awhile for them to realize they might benefit from it. Why? Maybe they weren't exposed to people who lived any kind of "normal" existence when they were kids - so how would they ever believe it might be better for them than what they've been doing? And, especially if early "authority" (read parental)figures in their lives were untrustworthy or mean, maybe? I don't mean they had to have a "Leave It To Beaver" type of perfect family, but at least one where there they knew they were loved, and there was some occasional semblance of "structure", like "rules", like - go to bed at this time, and somebody had expectations of them for which they provided a decent (not perfect) example. Whoever cares for them and tries to see them through this process (which, let's not kid ourselves, can take years) probably should be very patient, But - at some point, if they don't "pick up the ball" they end up scaring away those who care about them most. My dad used to say "We all get to play the hand we're dealt, because it's all we've got. Yours might look better, but I don't have yours, I've got mine." Hope that didn't sound to "preachy"- I don't have room to talk myself - I was a Terrible teenager and young adult. I am surprised my one living parent is still sane, hehe.. - susannah
< Message edited by susannah -- 10/20/2004 6:10:52 PM >
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" I had been my whole life a bell - and never knew it until at that moment I was lifted and struck". - Annie Dillard (1945 - )
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