I relate to this so much it hurts. Adults constantly asked if it’s possible I’m not remembering correctly or if I’m sure my mom really did that to me. When I tried to tell my first grade teacher that I didn’t feel safe at home, she said, “your mom loves you so much. Everyone argues with their parents sometimes.”

It’s incredibly challenging for a young child to realize their parent is mistreating them, especially when all the other adults in their life tell them it’s normal and they shouldn’t be concerned. I didn’t realize I was being abused until child protective services showed up at my school after someone saw my mom attack me.