My father has forbidden me from picking up my daughter, worried that Im being too soft with his granddaughter. These days, my little girl has started crawling and every time I leave the room, she follows after me, desperate to be scooped up. My dad cautioned me not to spoil her, saying shed learn to stand on her own two feet if I just left her on the floor for a bit. Still, I just can’t resist gathering her into my arms, which makes me wonder if Im being overprotective.
I admit Im probably too gentle with her I comfort her straight away when she cries, shower her with kindness, and hardly ever scold her. I suppose Im trying to make up for the love and care I missed out on growing up. I was raised in a childrens home after my mother passed away, and I never knew my birth parents. My current parents, the family of my cousin, took me in when they heard what had happened and gave me a new home.
It was tough at first. My father was reserved, hardly one for open affection, and my mother worked tirelessly to provide for the family, so there was little time for warmth. I knew deep down they loved me, but showing it wasnt easy for them. So, I learnt to tell myself my own stories, imagining a world where I was cherished and praised, a princess in a kingdom of kindness.
As I grew older, I constantly sought approval and affection from others, especially in relationships. I clung to the slightest bit of attention and ended up staying in a bad relationship for five long years for fear Id never find love elsewhere. My husband, whos wonderfully supportive, knows snippets of my past but not everything. Even so, despite all Ive been through, I simply cant stop myself lavishing my daughter with love. I believe she deserves every ounce of affection I can give the kind of love I never had myself as a child.
