“There are ways of being abandoned even when your parents are right there”
— Ian McEwan
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Simplified Meaning:
Sometimes, even when parents are physically present, they might not give the emotional support their child needs. It's like when a kid comes home from school excited to share something, but the parent is too busy on their phone to listen. The child feels ignored and alone, even though the parent is right there. This is a different kind of abandonment, where the parent isn't emotionally connecting or showing they care. For young people, it's important to feel understood and valued by their caregivers. Being there for someone means more than just being around; it means truly listening and engaging with them emotionally.
Related tags
Abandonment Childhood Emotional neglect Family Loneliness Mental health Parenting Presence Relationships Trauma
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