A Mom’s Story: From Confusion to Confidence

I have always had that extra dose of mommy worry. By reputation, I am the helicopter mom. I appeared confident but people didn’t know my secret. I’ve been afraid and confused. I have been terrified of failing as a mom, not protecting my children, and missing something important. That my children would suffer in silence, the way I did. 

Raised in a great home with parents who loved me. My mother was a 1980s version of June Cleaver. I was given everything a child could dream of. I grew up in a safe neighborhood and went to the best schools. Then at 8 years of age, my world shattered. A family friend began to sexually abuse me. My parents loved him, and his kids were my friends. He made me feel special and said we were doing something I needed and must be kept a secret. Resulting in most of my childhood being in a constant and extreme state of confusion. 

So as a mom, I have focused on doing everything possible to keep my children safe. Took classes, set parental controls to the maximum level, and vigilantly taught my children about stranger danger and safe touches. But, I was still gripped in fear! Yes, all of these dangers are real, but it wasn’t what I had experienced growing up. I was harmed amid a “safe environment” and hurt by a friend, not a stranger. The confusion from my childhood remained. Despite all the effort, I was still afraid and didn’t know how to protect my kids.