I remember when I was a little girl my mother would get after me for EVERYTHING.  If I would interrupt any conversation, she would scream at me.  I could go up to her crying because I got hurt and if she was engaged in any conversation, I would get scolded.  It would be even worse when I would give my opinion without anyone asking for it.  I remember crying a lot because it was never any of my business and what I thought or felt never mattered.  Then there were times when I would get hurt playing with friends at parks or parties or houses and if I would go to her crying, I would be in trouble. “You were playing with them right?” she would ask. “Yes,” would always be the answer. “Then if you don’t want to get hurt sit here and don’t move. Problem solved.” That was when I would stop playing. If someone else would hit me, she would say “Nobody likes a snitch!” I was always the one in trouble; I was always the one with the short end of the stick.

    My mom treated me like that until I was out of elementary.  If you asked me to tell you what I remember from my childhood, I would say I remember crying a lot and getting yelled out more times than I ever thought possible.  I also remember the one time mom slapped me… I had slammed a door in her face.  I was angry that day and I slammed a door and that was the only day she ever laid a hand on me.  Now, if a door slams, I get scared so much so that I apologize to the door.  My childhood wasn’t all fun and games but I certainly learned a lot.

    I don’t slam doors, I don’t interrupt conversations and I am definitely not a snitch.  Why? I behave because my mother raised me that way without having to hit me constantly or without ever being punished.  I have never been grounded in my life for two reasons: the first, my parents don’t believe in punishments and secondly, there has never been a need to do so. I’ve learned my lessons.

    However, if you ask me I would say the younger generations are getting away with way too much.  My 4 year old cousin cannot get through the day without interrupting a conversation or what’s worse she cannot live life without answering back to her mother. “We’re leaving, Marifer.” my aunt says. “No!” she answers.  When we point it out to her, my aunt always tells us “She’s not answering back, she’s just saying no.” At first, it would annoy me because it’s unfair that she gets away with so much. Then I realized that I should actually be feeling sorry for her.  I’ve talked it over with my mom and my grandparents and it won’t be long before everyone gets annoyed by her.  She’s only four but because of the way she acts, people aren’t going to want to be around her.  So many doors are going to be shut on her and my aunt because of this.   

    Then I realized that I’m partially wrong.  It is becoming a lot more common to see parents treat their kids like this and where are we going to end up? In a couple more years, kids will be talking back all the time and they will do as they please and no one will frown upon it because we will all eventually grow used to it.  Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit too much but I can’t help but think that I’m right.  

    I’m seventeen and I am not planning on having kids anytime soon.  As of now, I have a plan on how I’m going to treat my kids—exactly the way my mom treated me.  I really hope I am not influenced to think otherwise in the years to come.