After being asked to write a guest article for Sharni at Sharnanigans I was motivated to ask the one and only " Grub " ( My one and only son Dylan ) to write a piece on being a teenager in today's world. He has been reading all the blogs that I follow and has been really impressed with a lot of the entries and enjoys creative writing, drawing and photography. So without further ado I give you Dylan " Grub" Swansson's first public article....~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Teenager’s life ~ My life
As a teenager I've come across a lot of obstacles such as drugs, drinking, peer group pressure and the growing popularity of gangs etc. Some obstacles are bigger than others to deal with, some just make me want to cry and others some times make me want to laugh. The important thing to always remember though coming into this age is to remember to “ Always stay true to who you are, always live my life as I wish and not as others wish, always respect people and always respect property ”.
When I started to become a teenager I " freaked " literally because I saw my friends around me drinking, doing drugs and joining gangs and I was scared that I was going to be forced into doing these thing but then I thought about how it's my life and how my life is not theirs but mine.
I bet most of you are thinking “ it's not that easy to say no ” but actually it is. I have been through a lot in my life already and the thing I have seen and felt have made me a stronger kid mentally and physically. But keep in mind that all kids aren’t like me, I have been shown both what not to do and what is ok to do by my Mother and Father. A lot of kids feel very confused, left out, neglected and scared and I too have felt this way at times.
This generation can be hell at different times and I believe it is a lot worse now. No offences intended but back in my Fathers day school fights were mainly a push and a shove. But now we are faced with school fights with knives and fists where the winner doesn’t stop once he knocks the other person to the ground they keep going until the victim is brutally hurt.
Being a teenager today scares the life out of me at times, it is a time when every seems hell bent on taking drugs, drinking beer and lieing to their parents ( who they feel do not understand them ). It is a time when a lot of kids are slipping away further and further, more than you probably realise and more than you probably want to know. Rather than criticise our difference, support us let go of us and let us be free to move and learn at our own speed. That doesn’t mean don’t stop loving us or stop baking us cookies just means let us move on and start to make a life of our own choices. Teenagers hide our feelings through the use of drugs, drinking, smoking and more but if you just simple ask them to talk to you, you may actually get a conversation from us.
Remember to tell your kids that you love them before its to late because we do like that, its something we all want to hear.
Dylan " The Grub " Swansson
What an honest, refreshing and insightful post Dylan. I am truly moved with your honesty and transparency and how well you articulate what you think and feel.
ReplyDeletethanks also for putting me at ease, because I think how we feel we are raising Phil is similar to how your parents raised you...with alot of love, guidance and support, and hearing how that has made a difference and how you've managed to be and stay yourself amidst the turmoil going on around you is refreshing to hear, because it gives me hope that Phil can also stay true to herself in a crazy world as she becomes older. It's not only a testament to your upbringing, but a testament to your maturity, and strength of character. For someone so young, you seem to have it in abundance. :)
Wow!!! Fantastic! So cool to hear from Grub and it is safe to say you have raised an amazing young man Andrew. Keep it coming. I am going to 'tweet' about this story and hope it brings you many readers. You are a credit to your parents AND a credit to yourself.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a great post Dylan! So enlightening! I still feel like a teenages sometimes, even though I'm 4 years too old! Even in those short years it seems like things have changed a lot.
ReplyDeleteStay true to yourself, and stick by what you believe! Excellent post, and by the sounds of it, excellent life choices!
Dylan - you have one very proud Aunty Wendy here. Thankyou so much for sharing your thoughts Dylan and THANKYOU Andrew for allowing him to do this. Just wonderful and remember th ripple effect - you have absolutely no idea who will read this post and how it might change a life and give someone hope. I encourage you to write regularly and share with other teenagers and also with other parents who might need some guidance in how to approach there child. Well done to both of you. All my love, Aunty Wendy and Big Sis
ReplyDelete