to those who only grew up with one parent

what was your experience?

I never met my father (he abandoned my mother the day I was born), and even though she stayed very quiet about him (I did try and ask), the bits she did tell me painted him as an aweful man

my mother was very abusive to me, and didn't act like a parent at all- when she finally kicked me out of the house, I never went looking for the father- A he didn't sound like a nice person, B, all I had was a first name (and it was a very common name, too)

I don't feel I grew up with any parents. my mother certainly wasn't there for me, and I'm sure meeting my father would have made much difference if she said he was abusive and cruel.
male influence would have been nice. but there you go

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acupaday · 46-50, F

My experience was…I felt like there was a lot that I was missing. No mom. No siblings. No friends really until high school but even then my time with them was very limited because of the protectiveness of my dad. And not only did he shelter me, but he simply wasn’t there emotionally or even verbally. It was a very quiet, lonely, unvalidated existence to have as you’re being shaped into the person you will become. Even to this day, I have this innate uncomfortability with females because I wasn’t exposed to many of them growing, and unfortunately one in particular abused me early on resulting in an even more darkened attitude towards them. It’s just hard to trust females. On the other hand, I naturally feel more comfortable with males because that kind of connection was the only one I knew. It was the only one that brought any kind of safety factor. But not having an outwardly affectionate father had me craving validation and acceptance from males, especially after he passed and I knew I could never get any of that from him. I’m extremely grateful to have had the life that I have had considering how easily it could’ve gone a much darker way, but living in the house I did influenced my mental health severely and it’s something that made my life and my journey to self-love way more difficult than it needed to be.