GRIEF: FROM THE MIND OF A TEEN

By: William McGreal

When I was a young child, around 3-4, I realized I was different from my peers, I realized I did not have a father. I was never used to having one around as he passed when I was only a few months old. Once I was a bit older, around 10-11, I would sometimes think, “I wish things were different and my dad was still
here but mom wasn’t”. This wasn’t out of hate, but I really wished I had gotten to know my dad and what type of parent he would be. Even later in my life (about when I started hitting puberty) I would have pretty bad mood swings and think my mom was a horrible parent, even though it was exactly the opposite. At those times I always wished I was brought up by my dad instead.

It is not irregular to feel this way after a loss, and it is a normal part of the grieving process. Everyone grieves differently and may not even experience these feelings, but if so it is important not to beat yourself up over it. It’s just a normal feeling, and it is OK to think about.