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.
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).
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.
I know longer had to give advice to people about relationships, I was able to apply to all of the colleges I wanted to, I improved my grade point average, and I was able to grow more as a person. My life changed in so many different ways but I felt like it changed for the best. I was able to make new friends that were trying to accomplish some of the same goals as me and I know longer had to deal with unnecessary drama.
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
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.
Every experience we go through will, in some way or another, help each of us to develop understanding. Coming of age is a life-long journey, but there are major events or experiences you can go through that will play an important part in become an adult. As time goes by, we will all experience trials, blessings, heartache, joy, and love; each of these periods in our lives will have an extraordinary impact upon who we become. These escapades, will enable us to come of age. The importance of coming of age develops from the experiences that create memories, teach life skills, and inspire character.
I had to start going to my therapist again, Dr. Dan, as he was called. His last name wasn’t Dan, so I always found it unusual he used his first name instead. Anyway, every week I would go see Dr. Dan. I really enjoyed talking to him. He was a really nice and funny guy. I told him things that I didn’t tell anyone, and not because I had to. I really wanted to. We would occasionally play chess together, and it always made me feel smart to defeat him. I started to enjoy life more. My father became a stronger influence in my life, probably thanks to Dr. Dan. I remember my father and I made a bookshelf together, and it’s something I’ll never forget. So every week I went to talk to Dr. Dan, and every week I left feeling good about myself, or at least for a few
When humans reflect on their lives they often categorize things by their location at the time of the event, grouping their college experience separately from their hometown high school experiences. This association with place causes us to view an unwanted movement as an attack on our personal way of living. I first experienced such an affront when I was in the first grade, my family and I moved to a small town about three hours away from San Angelo. My father wanted to be closer to his aunt and uncle so he seemingly forced me and to tag along for the experience. I didn’t want to move away from my grandparents or my friends, the thought alone would cause me to cry. I had to leave behind all my friends, my family I had known all my life, and even my pets. The towns was named Centerville, and it meant nothing to me, not yet.
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
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.
Life growing up though complicated, was full of great things. I've encountered situations have changed my life for the better and worse. I've had circumstances that have changed the way I view the world and the way I live. Growing up for me was never easy. Especially when I had to assume an important role and responsibilities at a young age. I was partly raised by my older sister, who growing up was my greatest role model. We are two years apart and she's like my twin and best friend. My parents would work most of the time because they're immigrants and finding work was really tough
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.
My mom decided to leave Puerto Rico because, there were too many problems economically I was ten at the time. When my mom told me and my brother that we were leaving I was pretty excited, just think about it live in a new place, it’s a four seasonal weather, and a new language. I could not think of anything going bad, I was very positive and supportive to the new change I was going to have. When we arrived everything was going well, I was
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
As a thirteen year old, I became very curious. I knew my parents had their share of issues, but I never understood why. I had lived in Texas my whole life then moved to Chicago, Illinois for my dad’s job when I was nine. Over the three year period of living there, I never saw much of my dad. I knew he loved me,