Verb: to succeed in doing or dealing with something, especially something difficult.
What does 'managing' mean? It's no indication of how difficult things are or how we are dealing with it. It's subjective. What is the value of saying we're managing?
We manage because we can't think what else to do, but what do I do to manage, what is the cost, am I really managing?
Every day I meet people who are managing. Some are managing well, others not so.
Some people manage, but they're on anti depressants, they drink a little more than they should, their relationships with partners and friends are in tatters.
They manage but can't sleep at night, they have to give up their jobs, they don't see their friends and they're frightened of their children.
They manage by locking themselves in their room or calling the police.
They manage but they're isolated, aren't able to go to church or to friend's houses.
From the outside looking in I think 'are you really managing?'.
I think, 'yes you're managing but at what cost?'.
I know more families than I care to count who manage way beyond what they ever expected because they love their children and have no other choice.
There have only been a few moments in our family lives where I've thought that I wasn't managing, fleeting moments where I considered the alternative. But the alternative was too much to bear, a choice that was more painful than the 'managing'.
Stepping back, I wonder are we managing or just not giving up.
Please note: this post is not a criticism of the survey that used the word 'managing' in it's reporting more a reflection on my thoughts and ponderings that popped out after I read it.
What does 'managing' mean? It's no indication of how difficult things are or how we are dealing with it. It's subjective. What is the value of saying we're managing?
We manage because we can't think what else to do, but what do I do to manage, what is the cost, am I really managing?
Every day I meet people who are managing. Some are managing well, others not so.
Some people manage, but they're on anti depressants, they drink a little more than they should, their relationships with partners and friends are in tatters.
They manage but can't sleep at night, they have to give up their jobs, they don't see their friends and they're frightened of their children.
They manage by locking themselves in their room or calling the police.
They manage but they're isolated, aren't able to go to church or to friend's houses.
From the outside looking in I think 'are you really managing?'.
I think, 'yes you're managing but at what cost?'.
I know more families than I care to count who manage way beyond what they ever expected because they love their children and have no other choice.
There have only been a few moments in our family lives where I've thought that I wasn't managing, fleeting moments where I considered the alternative. But the alternative was too much to bear, a choice that was more painful than the 'managing'.
Stepping back, I wonder are we managing or just not giving up.
Please note: this post is not a criticism of the survey that used the word 'managing' in it's reporting more a reflection on my thoughts and ponderings that popped out after I read it.
Absolutely. All that.
ReplyDeleteTa.
DeleteManaging here doesn't feel good but not giving up feels better. Not giving up means an alternative to living as a family now he's 18 but keeping up the relationship to still support and love him x
ReplyDeleteNot giving up implies success and achievement. It's a hard path to walk and the post 18 stuff is a whole new challenge.
Delete