The Spoilt Child

I was reading my friend's blog the other day about family http://stephaniearasu.blogspot.com/ , and it got me reminiscing about my very own family. It isn't news flash that Eurasian families have two things in common, their dire need to compare their kid's achievements, and their dire need to gossip.

I remember as a child, as far back as I could remember, I was always labelled as the spoilt kid, the child from hell, the misfit, the delinquent, you name it. I was and still am the black horse of my very big family.

When I think back however, I really didn't turn out that bad. Nor was I such a menace as a kid, teenager, adult. Sure i had arguments and blown up shouting sessions with my parents, then again, which teenager didn't? I was a tv-addict, and often got into long big arguments with my parents over my homework. I used the housephone too much to call my other girlfriends from school for chit chats. And I used to feign sickness when I was terrified of sitting for tests that I wasn't prepared for. Sure I was rebellious, and rude to my parents at some point. I always spoke my mind and refused to grant adults the respect they supposedly deserved just because they were older than me. Some people classify those as growing pains. Mine? They thought I was sure to be a good for nothing.Some even bet on me turning out to be a whore...

I remember the very first time i brought my first boyfriend home for Christmas, tongues were wagging and assumptions spread like wild fire. My aunt even told my dad that hips don't lie, and mine told stories of regular shagging. Naturally, my parents were utterly embarrassed and disappointed with me. It didn't matter that I was innocent, uncles and aunts gathered their children around, and warned them off being thrown out of the house should they walked my path. I also remember receiving a call from one of my aunt, prior to her daughter's holiday stayover with me when I was in my first year of college, urging me to be at my best behavior and  not to corrupt her daughter, as I already had a very bad name amongst my family members...and she didn't want her daughter to follow suit or be associated with my wrongdoing.

Let's recap the things I didn't do... ( which some other angelic kids in my family did)


1. I wasn't the one who had my first kiss when I was 13
2. I wasn't the one who stayed in with my boyfriend
3. I wasn't the one who had a muslim boyfriend and wanted to convert
4. I wasn't the one who got engaged without telling my parents
5. I wasn't the one who flunked out of school
6. I wasn't the one who screwed around and enjoyed one night stands
7. I wasn't the one who said my father is better off dead
8. I wasn't the one who got pregnant
9. I wasn't the one who expected my dad to pay for my phone
10. I wasn't the one who refused to study and played truant
11. I wasn't the one with the eating disorder
12. I wasn't the one with the unhealthy weight problem
13. I wasn't the one who went to pool parties and got wild
14. I wasn't the one who got tattoos and piercings without asking my parents first
15. I wasn't the one who turned out as a alcoholic
16. I wasn't the one who crashed my father's car
17. I wasn't the one who earned a criminal record
18. I wasn't the one who asked my parents for money even when I started earning
19. I wasn't the one who allowed myself to be abused
20. I wasn't the one who dabbled in drugs
21. I wasn't the one who expected my parents to pay for my wedding.
22. I wasn't the one who blamed someone else when her mom found condoms in her bag
23. I wasn't the one who dressed up like a slut everytime i hit the clubs
24. I wasn't the one who stole my parent's money
25. I wasn't the one who lived off my boyfriend and returned the favor in the form of sex.
26. I wasn't the one who turned out to be a womanizer
27. I wasn't the one who turned out to be man-nizer
28. I wasn't the one who deliberately broke curfews and got thrown out of a relative's house
29. I wasn't the one who shouted at my mom in public


Let's see the things that I did....


1. I was the one who picked up smoking

2. I was the one who was rude to my dad

3. I was the one who used to bring my younger cousins out to club

4. I was the one who lied to my parents that I was going to tuition and went for a movie with my friends instead

5. I was the one who called home every week
6. I was the one who worked my way through college for my fees ( at clubs as a events and PR personnel, which later was contorted as a Guest Relations Officer job according to the rest out my aunt and uncles)
7. I was the one who finished college without extended time
8. I was the one who 'gave' money to those in need (when they were too afraid to ask their parents)
9. I was the one who stood up for some when they were being abused
10. I was the one who gave up my room for months without expecting rent
11. I was the one who ended up with a job which advocated for the welfare of others
12. I was the one who planned the weddings for free whenever they came up ( without expecting a thank you)
13. I was the one who got up in the morning during Christmases to drive my aunts  to the market
14. I was the one who stood up for my other cousins when aunts and uncles gossiped about them
15. I was the one who bought a house for my parents





And lastly....

I was the one who didn't bring shame to my family ...

I know it might be a little too late, but to all my aunts, uncles, and cousins who have had their fair share of gossip and speculation about how I lived my supposedly promiscuous life, here's the middle finger from me to you.

May Karma bite you back in your arse. But if it has and you're just too much in denial of it, then you know what? I kind of pity you.

To all my cousins who might feel a pinch over me washing your dirty linen in public, no pun intended. This is a warm shout-out to your parents, not you. After all, you were only being a teenager and thats what teenagers do.