Age?
So age is a number? Is it? you can’t vote in the UK till your 16, you can’t drink in the US till your 21, and the age of consent in Japan is 16. So many things that you are “not allowed” to do until a certain age, and all you want to do is get to the age to be able to do them.
Forget the freedom being 12 years old brings. Still living with the family, not paying any bills, being able to eat whatever you want with out having to pay for the shopping. Yep 12 was good.
Before I left home I used to buy all sorts of gadgets and gizmos that I can not now afford without saving and it’s not for lack of money. Well it is. Just now my money has to go towards bills and overheads before I can even consider the gadget. Before I consider the gadget though I have to think about the essentials such as something to fix the car, or those new shoes you need as the current ones are falling apart at the seams. Oh to be 12 again.
Voting, smoking, sex, drinking, driving, just some of the things that are set to an age. None of these things are really cool as I once thought. Driving is cool I guess but it’s mostly to get me from work and back, but things like drinking its ok if you have a drinking partner or friend, but drinking alone not so much fun. Smoking well this was a ‘Fad’ back at school I guess it’s now vaping, if you were the kid smoking on the corner before, during and after school you were cool. You didn’t see the damage it was doing and you definitely didn’t see how hard it would be to quit if you wanted to.
Before I was 16 I had freedoms, so many that are a luxury now, the small things, such as being able to go out and just play on the summer holidays without having to book annual leave for time off work. The freedoms of childhood are thought of as often children learning and being incapable of responsibility, though being “adults” can be just as irresponsible.
I got myself into debt
I got drunk and became very ill
I got angry and lost my friend
I voted for the wrong party
I took the job abroad
So many things that a single person can be responsible for, and so many reasons all compound to make them happen, but the sole responsibility is more than often the individual adult, just not learning or having no impulse control or just being irresponsible.
Don’t despair.
I am learning as are you just like when we were children the difference is we have to think twice before we do if we have the foresight as well, things can get bad if you don’t.
Things I’d love in life now are very different.
I want to own a home
I want to be able to pay my bills
I want to be able to afford the shopping
I want to know who to vote for, for the better
Most of all;
I want someone to tell me when to stop spending so no debt occurs
So whilst I always wanted to have the freedom as an “ADULT” what I actually wanted was the freedom to live a happy life and for me that is with my partner, free of debt, and able to afford those small luxuries, whilst being able to pay for the shopping. It’s now a game of teamwork, give and take, learning and keeping each other in check.
“Team work makes the dream work”
I understand this is not applicable for everyones life, and thats ok.
If you do want some help or advice then just ask, me, your friend, your family, your carer, your social worker, your foster parent, your teacher, Anyone who you feel Safe talking to.
VPCreativ 