Me: “Okay, you’re done school. You’re free!”
Dorian: “I’m not free. Not until I finish 12th grade.”
Me: “Yeah, you’re not really free then either, because you have to work and make money to pay the bills.”
Dorian: “WHAT?!”
—Expat Mom, Kids Say the Darndest Things: Episode 75
Expat Mom is one of the blogs I check almost every day. She, Genesis, is a work-a-home mom and freelance writer who came to Guatemala about 12 years ago. She’s originally from Canada and was on her way to Brazil, but while in Guatemala she fell in love with Irving and decided to stay. They now have three boys.
She homeschools the boys, and the above conversation was with her oldest one after the session was over for the day.
How did you feel about growing up when you were a kid? Did you look forward to it? Did you not think about it very much? Or?
My father thought being an adult sucked. He once told me, “Watch what I do and do the opposite.” I worked hard when I was younger to figure out how to do that, and I will always bless him for it. Thanks, Dad!
March 5, 2014
I desperately wanted to finish school and leave home to start earning my way through life and that is what I did. In retrospect, I think that my higher power guided me in making that possible. I was always at the right place at the right time and just kept moving, as I continue to do now too.
On the whole you’ve lived a charmed life!
Well I can wrap up the ‘school’ thing in a nutshell… I hated school! From 1st grade all the way through one year of college. Funny given that subject you would ask about wanting to grow up when at my current age, which is certainly all grown up, I think about how much I would like to return to those childhood and adolescent days and redo those wasted school days.
As far as wanting to be grown up when I was a kid, I did think about it from a standpoint of being my own boss and not having anyone to tell me what to do all the time but…. was completely clueless as to the responsibilities that came with it.
I wouldn’t go back — I’m having a lot more fun now. I’m very aware this won’t last forever, and I’m making the most of it while it’s here.
once in some grade … probably junior high … which is now middle school i guess …
we were each supposed to answer a question out loud in front of the whole class …
“what do you want to be?”
when you grow up… the unspoken end of the question. that magical unforeseen time.
when it came my turn i answered “i want to be a professional tourist.”
the whole class laughed.
but i didn’t see what was so funny. still don’t. and i think i would have liked to be one.
very much.
not now. but once upon a time. 🙂
Good for you! The kids who laughed clearly had no imagination.
monk!
thank you for that link!
dominic is such a hoot! and she is lovely and amazing.
a very uplifting place. 😀
She doesn’t write as often as she used to, but I always check and always enjoy her posts. It’s posts like these, that share our different lives, that I love about blogging.
When I got to where I wanted to be –in my own house, queen of the castle, total boss of myself, I didn’t anticipate the hard work that lay ahead.
Is it still hard work? I’m basically lazy and have avoided work as much as possible. (Playing is another matter. I can get very involved in projects that I’m interested in.) My hero is Wally in Dilbert. 🙂
Let’s call it Work. Never in my life did I do any work, just school work. After marrying there was lots of work with 4 kids & neighbor kids. I was busy but it wasn’t hard & just what I wanted. Now my life is Work. It’s all physical –muscle & flexibility work. I do it ’til I’m really tired by bedtime. Otherwise I don’t sleep well.
When I was married & Queen in my house, no boss (Mother & teachers) I imagined I’d live free from all work. I’d have FUN all day. 😀
I don’t remember thinking about it much. I think I figured that it just happened.
I assume you’re as happy now as when you were a kid?
I always wanted to grow up in a big hurry, until I went to college and was suddenly responsible for so many more things. Then, I didn’t want to grow up anymore! I still feel that way!
Where did you grow up? Was it as gorgeous as where you are now? Did you have dogs then too?
I turned 5 and off to school…it should have been the very best thing to happen ’cause my folks were already grandparents status by most standards!
A few days later I was at the opticians and went back to school wearing the ugliest pair of glasses that anyone had ever seen…nicknames flowed from then on
Because not only was I now “4-eyes” – I also couldn’t run like other kids and I became “slow-coach” and then later the “skinny townie” who was also “lanky”
To matters worse, most afternoons Mother would be angry with me, because she could tell I had walked across the domain/grass instead of around the edge (longer). I didn’t fathom that out until I was older…or she would tell me off for taking of my sweater because I was now basically wearing my undershirt…never mind the fact that by lunchtime when the sun came out I would be sweltering!
We had many battles on the clothing/shoe score…and I would end up in my room until dinner time!
I went to boarding school, an even worse place…but all Mother could moan about was every holiday that I made it back home (8hrs by bus), she would be growling at me over what seemed a very tiny matter…I usually was dying to get back to school until I was there and it was an uphill battle to be on the same terms as the day-girls.
So when I was out of school, I was sent to a finishing school – office skills – and before the end of the year, I was shuttled off to the UK (long story) but I really glad to get away from parents – several generations out of date!
I can imagine it was a relief to get away from your parents! I imagine your life is much better now, in spite of your health problems?
She was a bad mum but she didn’t break your spirit. You took over & lived life well & in spite of health problems. Good for you!
Oh, I pretty much said what Jean said.
Both parents were gone by the time I was 25! In some ways I wish they were still around, so that they could see how much I have managed to achieve…
And then there are questions that surface from time to time, particularly in relationship to my ankle/feet problems…no one, not even my brother (now died) could remember and he was the only one nearby when I was growing up. All he could remember was every so often we went to next biggest town, around 4 hours away for me to “see someone” but he never did fathom out…he was in his mid 20s when I was born, setting out with his own farm and his lovely wife.
I admire you so much for what you have achieved! I’m still sorry that your parents weren’t more encouraging.