Human Essays: When Realize Your Parents Were or Weren’t Always Right

An Experience That Made You Realize Your Parents Were or Weren’t Always Right

Growing up as a kid, there is so much we want to do. We want to play with friends, play video games, and watch cartoons among other activities. But then parents make it harder to realize our ‘dreams’. They want us to water flowers, clean the house, and arrange our belongings. But then we wonder, why can’t they just do it. When growing up my parents made me do a lot of chores. I however felt that this was so unfair. I wanted to be like other kids. Free. It is not until I joined college that I realized my parents were always right.

What Was It Like Growing Up?

I had the privilege of growing up with both parents. There are things they gave me that made life simpler. They gave me;

Free meals
Free home
Paid my bills
Took me to school
Prepared my school lunches
Any support I needed

But even with all this support, I still felt like they wanted me to be their slave. I had so many chores to take care of at home.

I was supposed to make my bed after I wake up. Firstly, I hated waking up early. Then, they wanted me to make the bed! For me, it felt like the biggest punishment ever. I started making bed at four years. By 8 years, I was already perfect at it.

My parents made sure I always put dirty clothes in the laundry basket. But should a child do this? My friends weren’t doing this. They however left their dirty clothes on their bed. Then, their parents or house help would then put the clothes in the laundry basket. Why was my momma so strict with me!

What My Parents Made Me Do At Teenage

I told you at the beginning that I thought my parents just wanted a slave. This is what they made me do;

Cleaning the house

My mum made me clean the house every Saturday. She took care of it during the school days. In addition, I had to vacuum all the rooms. Wasn’t this too much for a teen? I didn’t like it. I wanted to hang out with friends. But I could only do this after I am done cleaning. At least dad used to bring some chocolates for good work done. I miss those chocolates.

Wash my clothes

I hated washing my clothes. But momma made sure I did it. After I was done, she would check if they are clean. I remember one day she made me redo the laundry three times. I had to do laundry twice a week.

Keeping the bathroom clean

As a teen, my parents needed me to scrub the sink after brushing my teeth. I ensured the mirror is clean after school. I was also required to clean the toilet. Yes. That is how serious my parents were.

Washing the dishes

I was responsible for washing the dishes every Sunday. The other days, my momma and house help would do it.

Cook

I learned to cook several meals at teenage. Most of the days, I would do this together with mom. There are days I would be left alone to prepare a meal for the family. I remember one day I prepared spaghetti and everyone was quiet. You guessed it right. I had messed up. We had to go back to the kitchen. This time, even dad joined in preparing the meal. I kind of miss those days.

Help sibling with homework

As if those chores weren’t enough, I was required to help my little brother with homework. Now, do you understand why I felt like my parents were using me as a slave? I mean I was just a kid. Why all those chores? Some of my friends only helped their siblings with homework. As for me, I had to complete millions of chores. Well, not millions but these we many chores, right?

Realizations About Your Parents After Going To College

When I joined college, I left home and had to stay alone. It is during this time that I realized that my parents were always right. Them making me do so many chores, was not to use me as a slave. There were preparing me to be a responsible person in life. I had a very easy life in college.

I always made my bed.
My room was always clean.
Doing my laundry was not a challenge.
Preparing a meal was my favorite activity. When other students relied on fast foods, I would prepare a healthy meal.

I would always get compliments for a job well done. My friends would often ask, ‘and how old are you again?’. They would say I was too responsible for my age. All this is because of my parents. I realized that my parents did not want a slave. On the contrary, they loved me. They would do anything for me including pushing me to be a responsible person.

Our parents are not angels. They are humans. They make mistakes. But a parent would not see their kid as a slave. If they push us to do something, it is because they want to teach us something. They have nothing but good intentions. Now I know how to be a better parent.