Tycho of Penny Arcade describes this well, I think:
Children carve something out of you, a place for themselves;
people can twist the knife in that spot, and it just bleeds and bleeds.
The process of having a child changes the parents in many ways: emotionally, psychologically, physically, etc. The parents carry not only their own expectations, hopes, and dreams, but those of their friends and family.
This is true. I never once teared up during a movie, passage from a book, etc until after my son was born. I can't say what it is like for other people but for me it is almost like gaining a new sense.
