How Well Do You Treat Your Parents?

I'll admit that like most children, I haven't always given my parents the respect I now know they deserve. There have been moments throughout my childhood and particularly my teen years when I have overstepped the mark. Reflecting upon those moments I realise and understand fully why I felt the way I felt and that I was in the wrong. But I suppose hindsight can do that for you, give you the ability to look at past actions with some perspective and say 'Yeah I was an idiot' or even 'Yeah I was right'.

Despite my misgivings, I know for a fact that I was the good child. That may sound a little presumptuous but believe me if you'd met my contenders, even you would hand me the title. I was (and am) the middle child of my household. My older sibling while not as much of a handful as my younger one, still liked to push the boat more than I ever did. I suppose I owe them my thanks because it meant that while they were repeatedly getting grounded for the stupid shit they were doing, I was observing and learning from their mistakes. I was smart enough to know where the line was and how much trouble I was willing to get into by crossing it. This my friends, is a lesson that my younger sibling (along with MANY others) has failed to learn.

The words spoilt and brat come to mind when I think about my sibling. Don't get me wrong I'm spoilt and by this I mean I have been given more than most kids get and I think the difference is is that I grew up respecting what I had in regards to other people and I knew that I was very fortunate. Now, the down side to this is that it has made me a little too self aware and a with a lot of guilt about a lot of things. You know those people who say sorry when YOU step on their foot? Yeah I'm the girl who apologises to other people FOR other people. Its pretty pathetic really. However, I'd rather be the sorry girl, the eternally grateful girl than the child who never appreciates their parents until the damage has been done. But maybe that's just personal preference.

All these points of course are the musings of a 19 years old English student so perhaps I should try looking at it more from the perspective of a 12 year old. Yeah I have believe me, a lot. But unlike everyone else who just put the attitude problem up to age and immaturity, I saw it for what it really was. The youngest child with a clear case of 'only child syndrome' (I know it's not a real thing but at the same time...) It really bugs me to see the two people I was raised to respect most in this world (apart perhaps for myself) be treated like doormats by a ridiculous, pathetic little child. It does more than bug me in fact, it really pisses me off! The constant arguments, the slamming of doors. It's no longer the environment I was used to growing up, its a war zone. And every day I'm still waiting for the right party to wave their white flag.

I guess what this post was really about is being one of the kids that came before the problem child and what that's like. It's awful to watch the reasons why you respect your parents be ignored and erased before your very eyes.

Respect the people who made you who you are, even if that isn't necessarily your mum or dad.

Love, The Girl In Blue
xoxo