Growing Up

Not all teenagers are bad as adults make us out to be. I'm not saying it because I am one myself and trying to defend my generation. Mostly all of teenagers now and days suffer from a mental health issue, the most severe one being depression. Its not talked about so much these days because our parents weren't able to talk about it as much, leaving us teens stranded when it comes to bringing it up; our parents won't help us find someone to talk about it.

Where does the depression come from for teens? This could be out of increased stress, fear, and anxiety; parental depression; negative family environment; child mistreatment or abuse by parents; family conflict; or the loss of a school, sport, church, or community routine.

Notice how the issues can start from parents, or family in general? Most teenagers' parents' had them when they were really young; atleast in their early 20's. Fresh out of high school, or a college dropout, our parents didn't know how to raise us, and so, most of the time, they feel like they're failing as a parent. So when we teens try and stick up for ourselves, our mother, our father, or whoever, is frustrated because they want to be the right ones. They want to be able to show they can be a parent correctly, they want to make sure they can do their job. But it only makes both sides angry in the end, wanting to be right; always.

When I turned 15 during the Covid-19 Pandemic quarantine, my parents divorced shortly after my birthday. Ever since then, its always felt like I've been taking care of myself; I'm not sure if that was a thing out of trying to heal, or what. It also got worse once my mom was changing; forcing me to get a job, throwing all this Driver's Ed studies at me, and tutoring advice.

She was never like this. It always felt like she babied me and my brother while growing up when she was with my dad. I understand why my brother gets more attention, considering he's a Type-one Diabetic, but it still gets harder as time goes on. My brother, we'll call him Z, even admitted how much he hates our mom's change ever since the divorce and her engagement.

My mom's fiance has even noticed how much harsher she is on me rather than Z. I do completely fine in school, my grades are good, and I get things done. She does have a problem with my job though; its usually how much I work. I work too much to where her and I can't hang out. I work too little to where I'm free all the time. I'm not sure what she wants out of me with it, but for those that relate to this issue, I want you to know that I sympathize with you for this happening, and that your hard work will be recognized sooner than you realize. Just keep doing what you do. :)

Do I want the relationship between me and my mom to be better? In a way, both yes and no. I want to be a good daughter, I want her to be proud of me. But even now, I'm over it and want to do what my motivation tells me to do; save up enough money for an apartment and good car.

Teens, know that its always okay to make mistakes, we'll make them all the time at our age. Our brains aren't developed fully all the way, and won't be until we're 25 or 26. We're going to take judgement harder, we have lapses to it.

Can we, as a generation, inform our parents on the wronging of what they say, and or, do? Can we make them understand that what they say shoots us down and causes us to cage up from them, knowing that it'll happen again? I know that not all parents/guardians are like this, but for the ones that are; there is still a chance to be better for your kids. We just want you to appreciate and make us feel loved.