27/07/2025
"Why Your Child Feels Like a Stranger in Their Own Home"
I was recently invited to speak at a family reunion. Nothing formal, no grand theme, they simply asked me to share a word. And what came to me, without hesitation, was this;
Most of our children are not lost because they lack parents. They’re lost because the version of their parents they met is edited to fit society’s expectations.
By the time our children start discovering who they really are, we have already become the elder at church, the respected politician, the suit-wearing professional. And sadly, these aren’t always roles we chose freely. They were often the safechoices, the acceptable paths, the respectable ones, not the ones that spoke to our souls.
So when our kids express a desire to be musicians, athletes, business owners, actors or comedians, they feel out of place. They feel ashamed. They feel like disappointments, not belonging, scams.
Because when they look at us, their parents, they can’t see themselves.
But here’s the painful truth, most of us used to be exactly like them.
We just buried that version of ourselves. We erased it, because society said it wouldn’t pay, it wasn’t serious, it wasn’t “a real job.”
And because we never told our kids who we really were, they grow up thinking they’re crazy for dreaming differently. There are no photos at home of us dancing. None of us acting silly. No snapshots of the young us performing, or hustling, or selling oranges at the bus rank with ambition in our eyes. Nothing to show that their dream may actually be inherited, not random.
Let’s be honest with our children. Let’s show them who we were, not just who we became.
Because in today’s world, there’s no skill or talent that doesn’t pay. The world has changed.
What matters is how early we start nurturing what’s naturally inside them.
If your child wants to be something “different,” don’t shut it down. Show them that creativity runs in the family.
Tell the stories. Show the photos. Laugh about your wild dreams. Make space for theirs.
Don't try to be a "perfect parent" by society’s standards, only to raise a child who feels like a stranger in your home. A child who hides their true self, thinking they’ll never measure up to the edited version of you.
And guys, Masheleng is on tour. In just 6 days( 2nd August), we’ll be in Palapye. Don’t miss your chance to learn, grow and align your life.
WhatsApp “Palapye” to 78440408 to reserve your seat.
Want to shift your financial path and be mentored by me personally?
WhatsApp “change” to 78440408 and secure your place in revive mentorship program starting 15th August.
Best life is all but a choice. Choose best.
Dr S | Masheleng
