I couldn't believe my eyes seeing this picture! I can't ever remember looking like that! I am pretty sure I was 13 in this picture, I had just got braces fitted on my bottom teeth and remember the pain I was in for days!
Looking back at myself here I find, the baggy clothes, undyed hair, and make-up free face so refreshing.
I always thought I had quite strict parents, they never let me go to teen club nights (I was 18 before I stepped foot in a club).
I was thirteen before I was allowed my ears pierced, 16 before I was allowed highlights in my hair.
And despite many long hours of tantrums and arguments my mum never let me have my belly button pierced when it was the cool thing to do, my argument in these instances was always the same - "EVERYONE seriously EVERYONE is allowed to do these things". To which my mum always replied - "Everyone else is not my daughter, I'm not interested in what everyone else does".
I was never allowed to boy/girl sleepovers which were regular accurences among my friends. I had moved out before I was allowed to sleepover at a boyfrinds house, and of course the rules surrounding boyfriends are still firmly in place when I go back home.
At the time I could not understand where my parents were coming from, I hated the rules. Lying to them was not an option - they were my means of transportation, and they knew all my friends parents, speaking to them regularly so they would know if I hadn't been somewhere I said I was.
The one time I did lie about an after prom party my mum phoned the house of the girl to ask if it was a boy/girl sleepover to my total humiliation. The compromise ended up being I could go but dad would pick me up at 3am.
Today I have an INCREDIBLE amount of respect for my parents. How they coped with the arguments and tantrums I have no idea. I sure as hell didn't go easy on them, I could tell how strained they were, and always pushed things but they never gave in to me.
The one thing they never did was give me a bedtime, or tell me how to dress, which I was grateful for, but from looking at the photo you can probably see why! I always dressed in baggy clothes, t-shirts and jeans. All the rules my parents put in place allowed me to have a childhood, I never acted older then my years despite wanting to, because it was never an option.
When I look at 13yr olds today it is scary how much older they look, how they post provocative pictures on facebook, dress every day how I only ever dress for a night out. Standing next to my 13year old cousin I feel so plain! She is stunning, and with her hair, make-up, and style she could easily pass for 17. It makes me worry, how insanely hard will it be for our generation to raise a child in today's world?
I just hope I manage to be a strong as my parents were when raising me, I have them to thank for my morals, and my relationship with them now is stronger then ever. I am actually thankful for all the rules I had during my teen years!
xxx
Love the title of this post! <3
ReplyDeleteI remember you always telling me about your Mum being strict, but I am sure she was just protecting you from exactly what you have said. That shows how much she loves you.
I had my tantrums with my Mum, about many things. Always wanting to do things I wasn’t allowed to.
I can’t believe how young girls act these days; they dress so different to how I did when I was 13. We are lucky we had good childhood’s xxx
tghe only time i ever slept at someones house, there was one girl present. thats it. til i was 19? and then i slept a a boys house to have horrid sex. and i lied about it. i didnt get my ears pierced til i was 19 cos my mum always said no. i WAS dressed by my mum in horrid clothes. in the end i was sent with money to buy my own stuff. but i was fat and couldnt fit into anything amazing. i was 16 when i got highlights and i frist went to abrahams when i was 17. hope this makes you feel better x
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