Do you have a child? If so i have a question.

That sounds totally normal to me Ken, and the way it should be. I can't offer you insights beyond that since my son is only 2 and I don't have other children.

The love you have for your child is completely different to the love that you have for your partner, family and friends. The love you have for them is not as intense. My child comes first, I love her move than anything or anyone else. I think that's how it should be, but I know there are some people that love their partners more than their children, and put them first. The neurotic love thing will lessen as he gets older, (I'm assuming he's quite young) but it will flare up from time to time with a vengeance, no matter his age. But there again, that's how it should be!

You dont love anyone until you have a child.

I found that my need to protect my son burned fiercely much more than my love for him. I had to work hard at loving him because I was born totally devoid of any maternal feelings for anything or anyone! He is an adult now and we are close and I treasure that relationship.

Bonnie

I think that parental love comes with a lot of
factors. If you had a child after trying for many
years then you are more likely to "love" that
child more than if you had an unplanned pregnancy
or child came early in marriage. Couples who
have a child right after getting married often
see him/her as an interruption to their lives.

Also if you didn't grow up in a loving family
you may find yourself overcompensating
by "over loving" that child.

Many times parents can fall into a trap of "loving"
their children so much that they fail to discipline
them.

You didn't provide much data to go on but it's
natural to love our children but "neurotic" is
a strong word.

-Ray Edwards
Father of 5

Not to cheapen it (I have 2 myself, and this applies universally), but what you are experiencing is completely natural because it is encoded into your DNA.

This would be the genetic imperative to pass on your genes to future generations, ensuring your legacy. Humans evolved to survive under adverse conditions, and the love you feel is nature's way of making you protect your young as a survival strategy for the species.

Without that, we would have never made it.

Having a child allows you to experience emotions that I truly believe you can not experience any other way.

My children are 28 and 20......I love them as deeply today as I did the day they were born.

I also now have grandchildren and foolishly thought my love for them couldn't possibly be as intense as my love for my children. I was wrong! Although the relationship is different, the love is just as intense.

Love is just the tip of the emotional iceberg. I find all of my emotions are on a much deeper level when it comes to my children.

I don't buy the DNA explanation since I've witnessed parents display as much love for their adopted kids as for their biological children.

There are moments of joy that probably only a child brings. My wife was just saying, "You shouldn't make overly complicated things with blocks. It might intimidate him, he's only two." I asked her, "What are you talking about?" She pointed to a car constructed out of blocks, using the round ones for wheels. Surprised, I said, "I didn't make that. Wow." Our son then clapped his hands in self-congratulations and shouted, "Yay, good job!"

Yes my love for both of my children are the same as it was the day they were born.
I have two children and each of them now have their own child.

My son's daughter is an angle. At 13 she is so self independent it's scary.
She has given me ideals to make money in the past. Her innocents and honesty
is something that will take her far. Don't get me wrong, She knows a con when she
sees one... She's not naive. She is very business and street savvy.

My daughter's daughter is 5 going on 33...lol She is sharp as a Tack. She will clown
you if you do something wrong in such a way that you kinda feel like...Ohhh, you are
going to get it girl...Then if you do try revenge she will make you look stupid... She
has a sense of humor that is beyond her age(she thinks on the next level, ie, what will
they try to do to me if I do this? Step #2). I feel that both will do well in life.

As time has passed and now that I have Grand Children I tend to spend more time
with the them. I get to do all the things with the grand children that I didn't
think of back when I first had my children.

Have a Great Day!
Michael