Children Quote by Susan Forward
““By reversing roles with her son, a mother communicates to him that he is supposed to comfort, protect, and take care of her. She may express this to the child in a variety of ways; she may suffer in martyred silence but make it very clear to her child that she feels trapped and miserable; she may tell her child that she can't take care of herself and that without his love she has nothing left to live for; she may get ill often or be chronically depressed, drink heavily, or become involved in some other form of self-destructive behavior. No matter how she shows her suffering, the result is the same: the young boy feels it is his responsibility to make her happy. He believes that he is expected to rescue his mother. By shoving her son into a role he is not equipped to handle, this mother helps to create in him deep resentments that will later turn into anger at women.””
About This Quote
Source Book: "Toxic Parents" by Susan Forward, 1989
Mothers who burden children with emotional caretaking create unhealthy dependency and future resentment.
In simple terms: Children forced to care for parents develop anger.
Key Takeaway
Set boundaries and seek external support.
Themes
family dynamics
codependency
psychological health
Mood
concerned
serious
Type
psychological
educational
When to use this quote
- therapy
- family counseling
- support groups
- personal boundaries
Key Concepts
emotional manipulation
parental role reversal
Questions to Reflect On
- Who in your life feels this burden?
- How can you safely establish limits?
A Different Perspective
Changing dynamics may be socially challenging.
![“Her [Mary's] motherhood extends beyond view. In the will of the Son, she becomes at once mother and maid: sheltering him, but sheltered in him, forming him, but formed by him ... When she pronounces the words: 'Be it done to me according to thy word', the Mother conceives the mystery from the…” quote by Adrienne von Speyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/428/adrienne-von-speyr-60504_done_her-mary-s-motherhood-extends-beyond-vie_209859.jpg)
