When I was young, I…
As told by the most perfect parent I could find to the most imperfect teen I could find.
When I was young I didn’t have my own room, I shared a room with my 11 sisters and brothers and little pee wee would wet the bed. He wasn’t dry at night until he was 15 years old. Fifteen years old!
When I was young, the bullies used to tie us to a tree and whip us, they didn’t just call us names or not talk to us like you guys. I wish someone would just call me a name and call that bullying. We used to get our butt beat.
When I was young they didn’t say, “Go to the corner, “ or “Time out” They made us get the switch that was gonna skin our hide and checked it to make sure it was a good diameter.
When I was young they didn’t let us use a calculator we had to show our work and if one part was wrong, we got the whole thing wrong. Partial credit? What is that? Like you can be partially pregnant, wrong is wrong!
When I was young I came to the US when I was 13 years old and didn’t know one word of English. I learned it watching cartoons and was still expected to keep up and do the work above my peers in English.
When I was young we bought things we wanted by getting a job doing odd things in the neighborhood: paper route, mowing lawns, or babysitting. Allowance? You better go get your own money. Shooot! This money is mine!
It’s great to let your teen know how you struggled, if you reeeaally struggled, but your teen has their story to tell too. They have their struggle too. Your empathy is what they need to be strong and move forward. You one upping them with a story that is more challenged or brutal only serves to push them away. You may not think it’s the most difficult thing in the world, but you will do wonders for your teen if you can act like it.
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