The theme that keeps coming up for me as I read this interview is Matrescence and the lack of guidance or mentorship outside of perfunctory medical visits. We each recreate the wheel from scratch because we haven’t had exposure to the various stages of Matrescence are (other than our direct family of origin) in a gradual and meaningful way. We tend to congregate (IRL or online) in similar phase parent groups, so we come to each parenting stage wholly unprepared. This rightfully activates our stress physiology! In my experience personally and clinically, the number of people who become parents without having been around babies, children, teens, or birth, is significant. So much of the nuance in each of these experiences is hidden because of how the nuclear family set up, and our own cultural norms to keep optics that everything is great until we are in crisis.
Just like the network of the maternal stress project, knowledgeable practitioners are one part of the solution. I think another key to a more easeful journey into Matrescence is creating spaces that foster a culture where we can be part of and witness experiences beyond our current life stage.
The theme that keeps coming up for me as I read this interview is Matrescence and the lack of guidance or mentorship outside of perfunctory medical visits. We each recreate the wheel from scratch because we haven’t had exposure to the various stages of Matrescence are (other than our direct family of origin) in a gradual and meaningful way. We tend to congregate (IRL or online) in similar phase parent groups, so we come to each parenting stage wholly unprepared. This rightfully activates our stress physiology! In my experience personally and clinically, the number of people who become parents without having been around babies, children, teens, or birth, is significant. So much of the nuance in each of these experiences is hidden because of how the nuclear family set up, and our own cultural norms to keep optics that everything is great until we are in crisis.
Just like the network of the maternal stress project, knowledgeable practitioners are one part of the solution. I think another key to a more easeful journey into Matrescence is creating spaces that foster a culture where we can be part of and witness experiences beyond our current life stage.
"knowledgeable practitioners are one part of the solution" -- Yes yes yes!