Children Should Not Be Asked to Contribute To The Household Bills

I can recall growing up just how eager I was to finally get “grown”. In my parents’ house, “grown” wasn’t a calculation of candles on a cake but instead a series of measurements assessing maturity and mindfulness, a fusion of their intercultural views on parenting. My parents had no problem reminding me just how not so “grown” I really was, well into my early 20’s at that. My mother’s justification, my behavior, my father’s justification, my bank account. But between the two of them, they agreed that until my idea of grown matched my simulation of it, that they would afford me the protection I so desperately needed from my adult realities. And in doing so, allow me to focus on preparing for adulthood as opposed to being punished by it. My parents provided a safety net for each of their 5 children as we stepped out on our own at our own paces. And each of our nets was fitted to our individual needs, each offering differing levels of support according to our weak areas, gently guiding us towards adulthood, despite what the world would have us do.

My parents, born oceans apart, were bound together by the experience of poverty. Although they couldn’t birth their children into a bigger budget, they could provide us the cushion necessary to build one for ourselves. As I grew into my responsibilities, meeting other young adults along the…