I was always told

 I was always told, “They're family… you don’t have to like them, but you have to love them.”

And I’ve made a promise to myself. I will not be passing that on to my child.

If someone makes you feel small, like you don’t belong, or like you’re not enough, even if they’re family, you do not have to keep them in your life.

Love isn’t something owed. It’s something felt. It’s something earned.

I will teach my child to love the people who love them back.
To give their energy to the ones who make them feel safe, seen, and supported.

There is no “you have to love them because they’re family” in this house.
Here, we love the ones who truly love us. That’s it.