We were not suppose to fit in.
I think my mom became a JW because what it offered. No holidays,wordly friends could not come into the house,no wordly friends, no sports, no games, one school dance but never ask to go again, do not associate with wordly children during school. Unfortunately, it was during the same time when hugging children spoils them, no expression of love was ever given to make us stronger. Siblings only learned to express there love by actions not words, not one expression of love was ever taught. we did not smile a lot but did laugh and make fun of each other. I just telling how it really was! mental and emotional abuse big time.
I bet you can find a Wt teaching for all of the above.
As a result my parents are dead and my siblings are burned out. Stressed out and none of us would ever express any kind of feelings for each other.I really do not think we like each other. At this point in our lives why bother, but we all agree what a crazy religion.
We all wonder what would life be with out the JWs.
My older siblings remembered it was better, we did Christmas and had family birthday parties, and went to all of our cousins birthday parties. we hugged one another. But when we became JWs mom would argue doctrines and preach to other family members,so she thought it better to not have worldly influence on her children. She moved us all away. Basically she caused family members to not like us because of her so called preaching. School was nothing but isolation.
Mental and emotional abuse!