Don't Hate, Appreciate
Growing up as an only child I always felt like one of the adults. I spent most of my time with older people; I really didn’t have any friends and kids my age picked on me. I wanted so badly to “grow up”, be an adult, and not have to deal with all the unfair hardships of childhood. By the age of thirteen I was a high school student with a part time job. I wanted to help my family out so I started paying for some of my own toiletries and clothes. I would go out with my friends and use my own money. It was nice. I felt a sense of independence. I liked not having to bother my parents for funds on trivial things. I still had trouble with authority. I did not appreciate being treated like a child, especially by adults that I felt had no moral standing to do so. I still longed for adulthood where I could stay out past curfew, make my own decisions, take care of myself, and not have anyone to answer to. I realized before I graduated high school that I would never stop having to answer to