the hard knock life as a non-foster kid

“Mother”. To me, that is such a loaded word. Everybody has a good relationship with their mother, father, uncle, grandmother, right? At least that's what it seems like to me. Maybe I am the entitled brat they say I am, because maybe everybody is going through this. But then why is nobody talking about it? It’s so hard to close my mouth when what I’ve gone through is almost unbearable. Even just the runoff from the conflicts at the roots of my family is painful. One parent may be more aggressive than the other, but the hate and spite are mutual. I’m just the little fish stuck between the fighting sharks.
I’ve had so many chances to escape this. The social worker who interviewed me during the domestic abuse court case, to the family therapist who called Child Protective Services… Isn’t it my fault now? What’s holding me back? I guess children do have an unbreakable bond to their families. As sad as it is, maybe it’s the only thing I have.
To all the happy parents and kid pairs at the supermarket, I envy you.