[quote=CA renter]Since UCGal and CE have brought it up, anyone else here feel an incredible sense of worry and anxiety once they had kids? Like UCGal, my family has been overrun by cancer, and I’ve lived with at least one of my parents having cancer (5 “deadly” cancers between them, plus non-melanoma skin cancers) since I was 13 years old.
I don’t ever remember being quite as worried about my own mortality when I was younger, but once I had kids, I’ve become obsessed with making it until at least my youngest’s 18th birthday. Been worried ever since I got pregnant.
Anyone else feel this way?[/quote]
I did a deep dive studying breast cancer last year, and one thing I discovered was that women with young children were much more likely to choose mastectomy – often double mastectomy – over lumpectomy than women without young children.
Why? I surmise it is because women are driven to be there for their kids at all costs. Nothing is more important to them than supporting their kids through childhood.
A very admirable trait, I might add.
I didn’t realize how much anxiety I had over the responsibility of raising kids until my youngest one turned 18. That month, I can clearly remember telling my wife it was as if I’d become weightless…I did not realize what a mental burden that responsibility was until it was gone.
So yes, I definitely do know what you are talking about CA.
At the same time, I agree with Scaredy that a person’s mental composition is pretty much complete by 5-7 yo. So as long as you have supportive relatives that could look after your kids should you pass, you should really relax and not worry so much about them. Of course I’m one to talk since I couldn’t do that myself.
