Dear Girls,

When we were all kids, our only responsibility was to be kids and enjoy life. But for some, like myself, life wasn't like "Leave it to Beaver" with the white picket fence family. I grew up in a single-parent household that made the carefree life of childhood a fantasy to me, as I had to grow up and take responsibility of my life.

This letter is for you: the girls who got themselves up for school and helped themselves with their homework. To the girls who hated when their friends yelled at their parents because you wished you had their parents. For the girl who knew way too much about life.

To the girls who raised their siblings and put them first before yourself. To the girls who grew into women and instantly became the mom of the group in every situation and didn't even mind it. Independent girls will forever rely on themselves before anyone else, because that's just how we grew up.

To the girls who missed birthday parties and fun activities because life just wasn't letting you be a kid. This is for the girls who made up excuses about their life to save themselves from embarrassment as they tried to fit in. To the girls who only had a few friends that were always there for you since day one. The girls who had to battle that socially awkward puberty phase with no help, this is for you too.

These are women who, before most people could even fathom the concept of womanhood, handled the most challenging aspects of life on their own. They made it to adulthood having already made many adult decisions during childhood.

We, the women who grew up too fast, have a different outlook on life compared to our friends, and we're still waiting for everyone around us to catch up to us. At times we find that even some adults are a little behind on their maturity level.

This letter is for the girls in the world who couldn't be a kid: the princess they deserved to be. We are strong independent women who deserve a break every once in awhile. This is a thank you; I see you and appreciate you. This is a letter of recognition to the strong women today who never got to know what it's like to be young.

Sincerely,

An old college student like you