Childhood Responsibility Does Not Disappear in Adulthood
Sometimes I wonder about the things we carry forward without realising it.
The habits we learn.
The roles we become comfortable in.
The ways we respond when someone needs us.
As a Deaf parent, I have spent time reflecting on how childhood experiences can quietly travel into adulthood.
Not always in obvious ways.
Sometimes in how quickly we take responsibility.
Sometimes in how difficult it feels to step back.
Sometimes in how naturally we put other people's needs before our own.
A child who learns to carry responsibility does not automatically stop carrying it when childhood ends.
The role may change.
Life may change.
Yet something familiar can remain.
The more I reflect on this, the more I believe that understanding our childhood experiences can help us notice what we are still carrying today.
Not everything given in childhood is left there.
Childhood responsibility does not always disappear in adulthood.
This reflection comes from my perspective as a Deaf parent, shaped by my family, my experiences, and the CODA voices I have listened to over time. It is not about speaking for every CODA, but about recognising a pattern that deserves care.
