Thanks for your comment—I know these words can be hard to write, and it’s why Pink Hair & Pronouns exists, to support parents like you.

My bias, in parenting and all things, is that we all have the right to our lived experiences. You know the young child you parented. That they’ve gone through identity shifts as an older kid or adult doesn’t change the experience you had as a parent. It does mean you can reflect on that time and how your child might’ve had different feelings during that time that you weren’t aware of—and that’s okay.

I don’t think you need to just shut up and deal with it. That’s not fair to you or your child. I hope you all can be respectful of where the other is, as you’ve both been through a transition. And my recommendation is always to find peers to talk with about your own feelings, which are legitimate.

Now I want to have a story (or many) on this topic for PHAP. Would you be willing to write it? 😊