30 People Share Weird Family Things That They Didn't Realize Were Not Normal When They Were Kids

"We are all flawed humans and parents, with most of us committed to improving on what we ourselves experienced at the hands of our own parents," Vicki Broadbent, the woman behind Honest Mum and the author of Mumboss: The Honest Mum’s Guide to Surviving and Thriving at Work and at Home, told Bored Panda.

"Every generation hopes to evolve for the better. It must be noted, however, that we are the first generation of parents as Gen X and Millennials who have embraced therapy without stigma, yielding positive results on our families, and hopefully our kids' kids."

Professional help can be really valuable to people who have gone through these things. "Therapy is a privilege, of course, and not accessible to all but where possible, my advice is to start therapy to heal generational trauma, your own childhood trauma, and thus understand who you are," Broadbent said.

But as she pointed out, many of us are lacking in self-worth and self-love. "It took me until 40 and after, years of therapy to deeply understand myself and feel good in my skin (and I'm a work in progress)," Broadbent revealed. "Parenting is triggering for everyone so understanding what your triggers are and how you can consistently parent positively is vital."

"If you can't access therapy, speaking candidly to close friends in a safe space and way to work through those formative negative experiences can be useful. Harnessing self-awareness is the building block to accountability and transformation."

However, the good news is that many moms and dads care about their children's emotional well-being. According to a new Pew Research Center survey, about four-in-ten U.S. parents with kids younger than 18 say they are extremely or very worried that their little ones might struggle with anxiety or depression at some point.

In fact, mental health concerns top the list of parental worries (followed by 35% who are similarly concerned about their children being bullied).

Although it's worth mentioning that quite a few parents probably would have at least some criticism for their own folks, as 44% claim they are trying to raise their children differently from how they were raised.

"Putting the hard work in evolving, be it therapy or understanding how to manage your own emotions and stress levels, is critical as a parent," Broadbent added. "You can then model that behavior to your own children. Prioritizing self-care where possible (I know it's not easy) will make you a more compassionate parent. Exercise, eating well and healthily, and taking up yoga/ mindfulness will make the world of difference."

Luckily, when KidsHealth.org and TIME for Kids asked more than 9,000 children ages 8 to 14 about their family relationships, 85% said they have fun with their parents and 79% said they feel close to their parents.