Dear Mom and Dad,
I know you haven’t made the best choices in parenting but at least I turned out pretty okay. I have all my fingers and my toes still attached to me. I made it through high school and graduated on June 2, 2014. I know I haven’t always made the best choices in my life and I ended up in some pretty sticky situations. I made some mistakes along the way but you tried to point me in the path that I needed to go even if I didn’t want to hear it. There were times that you would be so mean and harsh to me too. I didn’t understand what I did to deserve it and I still don’t. There were times I tried to do the best I could at something and it wasn’t good enough. I would strive to get straight A’s in school and when I got anything below just that you called me stupid and lazy. You told me I wasn’t going to ever be good enough to anyone. I am though. I am good enough to my other family who you decided to keep me from. I am good enough to the man I am having his son and I love him. I am good enough to my friends who despite your bruises you left on me still stuck by me and made sure I was okay. I forgive you both for everything you have done to break me. I forgive you for sheltering me from my family who I am now still trying to gain a relationship with. I forgive you for laying a hurting hand on me when I did something that was wrong in your eyes. I forgive you for all the names you called me and all the hurtful words to spoke about me. I forgive you for treating me like I was nothing and how I was only to be seen and not heard. I am a better woman now that I have grown up and taken what you have showed me as a child and made me better. I know who I want to become. I know how much you hurt me and I don’t want my son to end up with the same lifestyle that you had me in. I want my son to understand that he can be himself and not be called a “retard” for what he likes. I want him to be happy with who he chooses to love whether it is male or female or both and not be judged by us like you did to me. I want him to be able to say to us that he is having trouble in school and he is trying and not get broken down. I don’t want my son to feel like he can’t come and talk to me if he is upset about something. You have taught me many things as my parents growing up. The most important lesson you have taught me is how I don’t want my son to feel when I raise him. I want my son to be the best person he can be, but also love him unconditionally and prove it to him without showering him with money and material gifts. I want him to have a better childhood than I did.
Sincerely,
Your Daughter
