Imagine a child, small and bright-eyed, holding a delicate vase too heavy for their hands. The vase represents responsibility, the kind a child should not yet bear. Yet, in families struggling with emotional parentification, this scene is metaphorical reality. Emotional parentification occurs when a child is thrust into the role of caretaker or emotional support for their parents or siblings, carrying a weight that should not rest on their shoulders. Let us step into the shoes of those who live this story, weaving together personified examples to illustrate the silent toll of emotional parentification. I have seen these incidents multiple times and I want to share some of theose with you all: Mita was The Listener Mita was eight years old when her mother, burdened by her own unhealed wounds, began sharing her sorrows with her daughter. Mita wasn’t just listening; she was absorbing. Her mother’s pain became the melody Mita hummed as she played with her ...