Misty thinks her family only notices her when she's sad or hurt. Do you agree with her assessment? Have you ever felt like that? What did you do?

Misty thinks her family only notices her when she's sad or hurt. Do you agree with her assessment? Have you ever felt like that? What did you do?

When families are dysfunctional and dealing with so many issues, the members aren't focused on the individuals as much as on the problems they have. Thus, there is probably some truth to Misty feeling that her family doesn't notice. However, Penny notices that something is wrong and Misty denies it.

Totally understandable why she thought that. It was then that she received attention positive emotions from her family. As a child I felt that way, lots of positive energy is needed to understand our mistakes and all about life.

I think all families are a bit dysfunctional but no I never felt like that. Maybe because I was the youngest of three girls. I received a lot of attention and love.

I think Misty feels very isolated. I agree with gerryp that it was reinforced with Misty that when she was sad or hurt, she got attention. I think it's also easy to ignore/focus less on kids that seem happy and you reach out when someone seems sad.

I agree with Marcia S. Misty's family has such serious issues, and the adults aren't people who are stable enough to care for all their children's needs. Penny and Misty are mostly neglected by their father, and their mother is so unwell that she can't care for them fully, either. That neglect and lack of attention to Misty's well-being and even to physically where she is playing and with whom, leads to no one noticing or knowing what William is doing to her. Her extended family is boisterous, dramatic, and also flawed, so even if the aunts sense something isn't right, there's not a real earnest effort made until later in the story to make sure Misty is well cared for. Their intentions are good, but the follow through is not there until later.

Penny senses something is wrong, but by the time she tries to draw the information out of Misty, Misty feels so unimportant to her family that she can't communicate what's going on with William.

Yes, Misty got attention when she was sad or injured or sick and was ignored when she was well and not complaining. This was an extreme but successful means to portray the extreme dysfunction in the family dynamic. Unfortunately, this is not an exception. Aren't we all a bit guilty of taking care of the problems and letting the good, though common, things sail by without comment or attention?

I agree with the previous comments. Every member of Misty's family has issues and it is understandable that a family member gets noticed only when there is a problem. This type of thing occurs even in well functioning families although probably not as pronounced.

Yes, Misty only gets attention when she is sad, hurt, or struck by a green light. Each family member is so self-absorbed in their own issues; therefore can not celebrate any of the "good/simple stuff" that is happening around them.
The mom tries her best to be a good mom, but her actions are misguided because of her clouded vision of religion, her pastor, and her husband.
As a teacher, I've seen this in a lot of children. There are usually two ways a child reacts when not being heard/seen....either they go inward and silent (Misty) or they act out in negative ways (yelling, tantrums, physical outbursts, etc.).

Yes. We all do things to get attention(bad behavior, feigning sickness etc.). Children are often overlooked when family matters take precedence. Mom is the person Misty wants to please the most but Mom relies on outward things to fix an inner problem

Yes, I agree with others that Misty was not getting the attention she deserved. As a teacher, often times I will see a child act out just to get attention in the wrong way, just because they may not understand something. Good behavior is often overlooked.

I think Misty is justified in her feelings. At the time of this story, Misty's parents are having marital problems and have decided to separate for a while. Her father is staying elsewhere and her mother seems consumed by the state of her marriage, thus ignoring signs and behavioral changes she might otherwise have noticed in Misty. While Penny gives the impression that she doesn't care about anything, I think she cares very deeply about her sister and thus notices things her mother misses. I have never felt like that since I was an only child and both my parents were at home.