Set Up To Fail
“You caused the team to lose today.” My mother graciously reminded me at one of our family dinners out. It was my father’s birthday and all I heard from them was that since I took my medicine too late, that I caused my cross country team to lose to Brookfield. I finally made it to the number two runner on the team, as a sophomore, but still that is not good enough to them. I know that they are trying to push me into doing better, but all I ever receive from them is criticism.
This year as a sophomore has been really hard for me, but to top it off I have to live by my parents standards. Being the oldest I am expected to be the perfect child and pave the way for my brothers. They hold me to standards that could even be considered unhealthy. I am to always receive all A’s, one slip and I can not get my driver's licensee. I am to be the best runner on the cross country team, and make the lead in every school play. I have always been looking to be an individual, living by my own standards. One day I just realized that it was time to rebel.
When teenagers rebel, they never seem to go about it the right way. They will hang out with the bad crowd and let their grades slip in order for their parents to notice. I have read about too many sad stories of that kind of rebellion that have ruined their lives to try it. So I decided the best thing to do would be to just talk to them. I know it sounds too simple, but I was running out of options and patience.
I hate having to talk to my parents about serious issues, so it took me about two weeks to finally talk to them. The conversation went a lot differently from what I expected. My parents tried to explain that I needed to set a good example for my brothers and by the role model, and in order to do that I had to succeed in everything. They also told me that in order for my success in the future, I would have to live by these standards.
I learned that teenagers are placed under too much pressure to make decisions that will effect the rest of their lives. We have to decide what college to go to, and classes to pick, along with all of the pressures and temptations that surround us. It is next to impossible to live the life society wants us to, so they see us as trouble. And on top of everything they want us to be role models to our younger siblings. As teenagers we just want to have fun, but society has placed a burden on us, that everyone is not able to hold themselves to. For me, it just makes my life too stressful, and wears me out for the future.