Written by: Preston McDonald (5th grade)
Parents assume they understand their kids better than anyone else. Sometimes I think parents forget what it’s like to be a kid. As a kid, I can think of some things I wish parents understood better.
For example, parents try to make kids go to bed early so we will get enough sleep. Then when we try to sleep in, they get mad! I understand that sleep is important, but this just does not make sense.
Another thing parents don’t get is that kids have their own way of doing things. Things don’t have to be done exactly the way parents do it. Like when I make my bed my way, but then my mom comes behind me and does it her way.
Parents also don’t understand that our actions usually have good reasons. When I act a certain way, like when I get quiet or I seem upset, it might be because I don’t know how to explain how I feel. It’s frustrating to kids when our parents don’t remember that we have big feelings too. Certain things mean a lot to us, although they might seem small to parents. Parents assume they know how their kids feel, just because we can’t describe it.
A lot of kids, like myself, don’t like school. It is boring and takes too long. When we complain to our parents about school, they say it’s not that bad. I wish they could remember from their childhood what it’s really like.
I believe that if parents could go back in time, or spend a day in their kids’ shoes, they maybe they would understand what it’s like for us. Being a kid is great, but it’s not always easy.