When the Story of Parenting Doesn’t Unfold as Expected: The Disappointment of Parenting

Parenting carries some of our deepest hopes for connection, meaning, and legacy. But the story of parenting doesn’t always unfold the way we imagined. For some, the disappointment comes from longing for children that never arrive, through infertility, miscarriage, or not finding a partner to build a family with. For others, the grief happens within parenting itself when children struggle, relationships change, or the experience is harder than expected. In this episode, we explore why these disappointments can feel so profound and how attachment, identity, and cultural expectations all shape the parenting story. In this episode we explore: 1.  The grief of infertility or not finding a partner to have children with 2.  Why parenting struggles can feel so personal 3.  Attachment and the caregiving system 4.  Separating grief from shame in the parenting journey