We joke about "daddy issues" and "mommy issues," but for many people these are not jokes at all - they are the invisible wounds running through their whole life.
This book takes those wounds seriously. Written in simple, everyday language but grounded in solid psychological research, it explores how father wounds and mother wounds are formed, how they show up in adult life, and what you can realistically do to begin healing.
In the first half of the book, the focus is on "daddy issues" distant or critical fathers, frightening or unstable fathers, absent fathers, and "nice but emotionally unavailable" fathers. You'll see how these patterns shape your attachment style, your self-esteem, your romantic and sexual choices, how you handle conflict, and how you show up at work.
In the second half, the book turns to "mommy issues" controlling or intrusive mothers, depressed or emotionally absent mothers, dramatic or fragile mothers, and mothers who used their children as emotional partners. You'll learn how mother wounds influence anxiety, depression, shame, emotional regulation, and the way you care for everyone except yourself.
Using clear explanations instead of jargon, this book helps you:
- Understand how "normal" family behaviors can leave deep father and mother wounds
- Recognize attachment patterns like people-pleasing, avoidance, and push-pull relationships
- Connect present-day problems (in love, sex, work, and friendships) with old family dynamics
- See how shame, perfectionism, emotional numbness, or overreacting often start in childhood
- Set healthier boundaries with parents without feeling like a "bad son" or "bad daughter"
- Begin to build an inner "good enough parent" so you don't abandon yourself the way you were abandoned
- Avoid passing your unresolved wounds on to the next generation
The tone is warm but direct: your pain is never minimized, and your parents are not demonized, but the real impact of their behavior is named clearly. Realistic examples show how these issues play out in everyday life - in text messages, family visits, arguments with partners, and quiet moments alone when old voices come back.
This book is written for thoughtful teens and adults (around age 15 and up) who want to understand themselves better, not for professionals. It does not promise quick fixes or magical forgiveness. Instead, it offers a map: where father and mother wounds usually come from, how they shape your body and mind, and what concrete steps you can take to stop living only as someone's child and start living as yourself.
"Daddy Issue - Mommy Issue" is for readers who are ready to say: "Yes, my parents shaped me - but they do not get to write the last chapter of my life."
