Parents: The epitome of relentless motivators and also the source of embarrassment for our young selves. With so little time before we move out and with all the changes we encounter, it is hard to teach us everything. A lot of us sit here today, in college or on our own, wishing our parents had taught us more about life. Life lessons were either never thought of, or were just plain difficult to teach us.
It was not until the moment I was running around the seemingly never-ending airport with 10 minutes to get to my next flight that I realized how chaotic traveling by yourself can be. If our parents could have taught us about traveling efficiently and how to plan family trips, we would be much more excited to go on them ourselves. Of course "Home Alone" makes organizing vacations seem much crazier than it really is, and I hope none of us are so lost in this topic that we leave a child at home.
Unfortunately, you might never realize how hectic vacations are until you plan one yourself. Then you wonder how your parents did it while managing every single person going, finding a way to please the whole group, paying for everything, and also keeping track of tickets, luggage, etc. Just writing out all that work in a list makes me feel out of breath. I am now aware of how many hours my mom must have spent on the computer planning family trips, and I can only wonder how she's learned to do it so well.
On top of managing a family, my parents recently had their 25th anniversary. After having been in a serious relationship that failed, I realized how much goes into maintaining one. It is as if a mass chemical equation goes into a relationship, but each person has different traits, not all of which work together. Even from small relationships with friends, coworkers and teachers, I realize how significant relationship skills are to have. I wish my parents could have taught me how they maintained their relationship from when they first met to today.
Speaking of difficult equations, who here likes paying taxes? Whenever I hear the word "taxes," I feel my innate fear of math problems and numbers intertwine in a giant bubble that is laughing at me, because I do not think I know how to actually do taxes. I guess parents either think it is too boring to teach, or think we will be too bored with it. From many years ago, all I remember on this topic is my mom with ten or more papers surrounding her, looking as if she was calculating a space-time continuum formula. I do not look forward to the day I am surrounded by these numbers I have to pay, and not knowing the best strategy.
What is worse than paying taxes? Barely having any money after paying them. Most of us start noticing how hard saving money is when we go to this magical place where books cost as much as vital organs and money seems to grow wings and fly out of your wallet, also known as college. Back-to-school shopping had never been more fun than when I purchased $20 worth of paints I got to use twice, and a $130 book my professor only used occasionally (which was about 10 times). It gets you thinking about how much life costs, regardless of whether or not your parents help you out.
I have only a slight idea of how my parents manage, but I do not have a clue how it all comes together with buying a house or paying a mortgage, insurance and all of the bills. Parents might need to set up an entire course called How to Save Money 101. I do hope if my parents can ever teach me about managing money, it is much easier than I imagine it to be.
Isn't it funny how the main source we needed all along to guide us through life was right there but never utilized? The "perfect parent" definition may have gotten even more challenging. Just kidding, parents. But teaching teenagers such things can be quite challenging. While us girls were too busy making fun of our mom's wardrobe, we did not notice how amazing she was at being a wife. Now that I am older, I wonder how my mom managed my crazy teenage self.
My mom always told me, “Just wait until you have a teenager,” but
that just made me wonder how to raise one (and survive).
I know each and every person can make it without knowing, but what would life be like if parents were able to easily teach us these life skills? The crazy thing is even though it would be amazing to have been taught all these skills, we will still be able to find a way on our own. But if our parents did it, so can we. Not knowing does not always determine our success.
