Coming to age is not something that usually happens in one exact moment, it is a gradual experience. A person coming of age is very vital to how they develop their personal characteristics. The story of how I came to age isn’t a story I tell very often. Personally, I believe that what happens in the past should stay in the past.
When I was nine years old, my parents, two siblings, and uncle decided that it was time for us to move from Missouri up to chilly Massachusetts. Both my uncle and father were construction workers. There were so many projects in Massachusetts, it was sensible for us to move. Financially, this was also the solution to our money problems. All around we were all very excited for this move, all except for myself. About halfway to Massachusetts, I had a gut feeling that this was a bad decision. Upon arrival, I felt like a fish out of water and, I was. Everything was so different compared to how Missouri was.
As time went by, living in Massachusetts, my close knit family started to part. There were many events added to this, but, the biggest of them was learning who my father really was. My father always had an air of mystery to his character. I finally figured out what that was. My dad has bipolar depression and also suffers from alcoholism. The move to the north was very difficult for him, money was tight, which made his symptoms worse.
When we first moved to Massachusetts, money was tight. So tight that my mother had to get a night job. This was convenient for our family. My mother wouldn’t have to pay for daycare and she could still contribute to our family’s financial problems. She would watch her children during the day and then work at night. At first this seemed like a good idea but proved to be...
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...often. Amber would get so mad and just walk outside in whatever she was dressed in. She never realized how cold she was until her emotions calmed down. That is when she would come back home. I learned not to worry so much; she would always come back.
Feeling responsible for situations out of my control was difficult. My grades were awful, it was impossible to focus on anything. I could hardly sleep at night with the amounts of stress I was under. Knowing that my father was an alcoholic with bi-polar disorder opened me up to a new world. I was exposed to so much more than the average kid, especially when he would bring me to the Alcoholic Anonyms meetings. I met so many interesting people threw my father. My entire view of the world and its inhabitants has been altered. Growing up was very difficult but the experiences that I had has shaped the person I am today.
It was the fall of 2010 and little did I know that my world was about to change drastically. We had moved back to Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2008 after living in Mexico, and I was starting to enjoy my life in the dairy state. My 6th Grade classes had just started at Bullen Middle School. It was right at this time when my world seemingly got flipped upside down. My parents had a family meeting and informed my siblings and me that we were moving to a small Iowa town called Orange City. I had feelings of nervousness, excitement, and sadness all mixed together.
For low-income families, particularly single mothers, preschool is a huge financial burden. Despite what parents want for their children, it isn’t always a practical option; sometimes, the cost of enrolling their children outweighs the money earned at a job (Mason 46). Soon, mothers are sending their kids to preschool so they can work to make money to pay for preschool. Furthermore, without an education, parents are confined to minimum wage jobs with no hope of advancement (49). Where’s the incentive to work? Robin Mason describes one single mother’s motivation. For her, employment is more than just money; rather, it’s also a means to boost her self-esteem, gain financial independence, and set a positive example for her children. She emphasizes her responsibility to her children to keep a roof over their head, be a good mother, and choose a quality daycare (47).
I felt completely different about my life and the way I was living it. I wanted to flip my life around at the very moment and knew I couldn’t do it right then and there that it was going to take time and effort. I spoke to my mom the next day and I told her everything I realized and I apologized for being the way I was and making all the immature decisions I was at the moment. My aftermath motivated me to become the person I am today and live my life making better decisions for myself.
A few months before all of this I was pleased with my calm life in a local city of Taiwan. I settled there at the age of two with my family, and things were going well so far. Because I lived there for ten years, the longest time that I ever spent living in one place, I had made really good friends and was not looking forward to any significant changes although my mom had told me a long time ago, we might move to USA to settle with our uncle and grandma. My mom also told me that the other reason we move is for a better education and life there but I was not listening at that time. I thought she was just joking around because my brother and I have always expected to have a vacation to other countries. By the time I finished my first year of middle school I knew that this was nearly impossible. My family was already packing up, cleaning out the house, and reserving four airplane tickets to USA.
My childhood was somewhat gloomy due to an alcoholic father; verbal and physical abuse was part of my upbringing. An event that I remember that shaped my life was when I failed the first grade. As a child I could perceive it, and these events helped to reinforce and mold future behaviors. During my teenage years I had much difficulty with love relationships even at times having inferiority complex after a breakup.
some families endure. However, there was something I really wanted that my mother had to tell
That experience basically instilled in me that no matter how good things are going it could change in an instant. I also stopped taking the small things in my life for granted. I live by the phrase, “It could always be worse”. It helps me stay positive in even the most stressful situations. Things don’t affect me like they used to because I can have that positive perception of just about any problem I
In my opinion of coming of age, I would like to address how difficult the path is to go on here. Coming of age in my perspective is a long road of difficulties and challenges not only myself faces, but also many others do also. It’s a route of transition and with that, you still learn along the way. The topics I have listed under coming of age are just a few. There are more that you’re able to comprehend and don’t at the same time. Additionally, there are more to list under coming of
Everyone that have ever lived to adulthood, understand that difficulty of the transition to it from childhood. As of right now, I am in the prime of the “coming of age “transition. The overwhelming pressure of our society that forces the adolescence to assimilate the social norms is felt by many. Just as in our first steps, our first words or anything that is expected in our human milestones, coming of age is one of them. It may variety from different societies, religious responsibility or modern legal convention; everyone had to reach this point eventually.
In my personal experience, I have come of age by growing up and leaving my parents behind. A time that I coming of age was when I was about 12 when my parents sent me to my grandparents. My parents could not go to so I had to travel on my own with my 9-year-old brother and I had to make decisions that I normally don’t make on my own like with to eat or seating. This shows that I have come of age by the fact that I have left my parents and started to make a decision. Also, it proves that I can be without parental figures and that I can make decisions, and that I can take care of not only myself but others as well. This shows that I can grow up and leave my parents behind and
The positives from my experience is that I have learned to accept help from others, to appreciate the little things I never did before, to see my mother in a new light and to have a reason to fight back for the things I want back. I never liked help with anything I did growing up and I resented people who helped. In school I would only ask for help when I needed it and even yet my elementary teachers would give help anyway. Not being able to even walk to the bathroom myself made me
This journey taught me so much that I wouldn’t have ever imagined. I grew from this experience mentally and I saw my parents becoming closer and regaining that bond they held with one another. This event taught me to be more appreciative with all the little things I have and made me realize that life isn’t going to go the way you want it to; you have to fight for the path to lead you in the right direction. I was brought closer to both my parents and my brothers. This event started new beginnings for this family, a new start to get things right because when I found out I would be moving to San Diego, I never would have realized the struggles I went through; especially when I was a silent voice in the decision.
Have you ever had to move somewhere completely different at a young age? Perhaps somewhere you didn’t even know existed? As a
Many changes for the good and some were bad but, there were some learning experiences that help make me a better person. The events in my life, was dealing with the Birth and The Death of my first daughter.
My relationship with my friends became stronger than ever. I studied long and hard, barley getting any sleep to improve my grades. I could not have done it without the support of my family. They were there for me along the way. My grandmother made sure I had proper diet to ensure my