<font color="purple">It's pretty cool to learn new things and perspectives about and from the ones you love...isn't it? Like, we (mom, step-dad and I) were talking about raising kids to be themselves and having them learn to make their own decisions for themselves and not for somebody else, and how one of the hardest things about being a parent is letting your kids do that.

...
(Yes, I do enjoy these lovely little "grown-up" conversations with them )

In any case, my step-dad was talking and said that as kids my brother and I had to make sacrifices, and things like that. I told him that I never looked at it that way...even as a kid I thought we were spoiled because we didn't have to do chores like all of the other kids and things like that. According to him though, that's just called "letting your kids be kids" Gee, what a concept that one is! So my whole life I thought my brother and I were spoiled brats just because we didn't work around the house even though I've come to realise that it wasn't necesary to begin with.

...Maybe because when we were kids my dad would complain that he should put us in a pen outside because we "lived like pigs"? As you could imagine comparing your little 9 year old daughter to a pig was really hurtful, didn't change one thing...but was still hurtful.

IN ANY case. I also learned that my step-dad used to have major drug problems as a young adult. I'm not sure how much into detail I can go without this being triggery for some people, but let's just say it dealt with ALOT of cocaine and ALOT of alchohol. I don't think he told me what happened to make him quit cerca 20 years ago...he just said that "god must have a plan for me otherwise I would have been dead by now"

I just like learning I guess? </font>

[Doh2007]

What a fascinating conversation that must have been. What a compliment that your parents treat you as equals.

( I used to criticize my mother for being over protective. She finally shut me up by saying, "At least I kept you alive so you could grow up.")