A piece of advice for my 18-year-old self.

   Young adulthood.

As parents, we want our kids to be comfortable with who they are.We cross our fingers that the motivation and assistance we've provided them with so far has been sufficient to help them develop healthy self-esteem. Teenage years are, in fact, a time of great transformation.

Teens' brains go through a "recognition" that can make parents and teenagers feel overburdened, worn out, and confused.

 Teenagers struggle with experiences that challenge self-perceptions they have adhered to for years as they look for their place in the world.

The challenges of life.

 The suffering I have experienced has catapulted me into some of life's greatest difficulties and lessons at a very young age.

I've been inspired to be very curious, open-minded, and daring, and to make some pretty major decisions, often on my own, by viewing the world differently and moving to five different states in the previous five years from where I was raised and trained.

 

I now find myself with a really firm foundation thanks to everything that has come after, including the tears, the victories, and the rock bottoms. I've dug deep into my emotions and thoughts and confronted them.

 

I am very proud of myself for having the strength to keep moving on in spite of the challenges my past has presented me as I reflect on my 18-year-old self as she prepares to begin a nine-month graphics degree in Cape Town, South Africa. 

 

   How young is too young for a child to look out for another?

 An African child learns responsibility from an early age! A child taking on the role of caregiver for their parent or siblings is a kind of emotional abuse or neglect.

 Younger kids, as young as 5 and 6 years old, appeared to be comfortable taking care of their younger, newborn, or toddler siblings. I've seen kids by themselves at home in front of their thatched-roof homes in the villages I've visited in Ibadan, Nigeria, tending fires and keeping an eye on the younger kids. Again, no adults were to be seen as I observed young girls carrying water  cans while carrying babies on their backs. Afterward, my thoughts turned back to the day I had a short meal at a roadside stop.

 Two very young boys were nearby strolling; one appeared to be around 4 to 5 years old, and the other was just big enough to stand on his own when my cab driver suddenly pulled up the dirt road. I noticed the elder child's startled expression and how swiftly he moved to block the smaller boy when our automobile got too close. He shielded the toddler and cautiously moved away while swinging him up to his hip with both hands.

 I had flashbacks to recollections of my younger self as a result of this act of early responsibility acceptance and proactive shielding.

 I became a parent to my guardian neighbor's twin boys when I was just 8years old. For almost ten years, my guardian, who is also my first cousin, was infertile. When our neighbor's wife passed away during childbirth due to excessive bleeding, she took it upon herself to care for the twin boys so that she too would be blessed with a child.

 Their crib was next to my bed so that when they wake up at night and cry, I can pick them up and sing them back to sleep. Changing their diapers and ensuring that they got fed every day fell under my responsibility as well. I can remember taking care of the boys' needs for a large portion of my childhood while my cousin was off having fun with her husband and friends.

 

  I have always had to take care of myself, cooking my own food, getting dressed, and finding something to do. I recall developing into a melancholy, reclusive student in school with frequently unkempt hair. 

My cousins' violent outbursts and unrestrained rage toward me added even more darkness to an already gloomy situation.

Having to care for infants at an early age was difficult. When I was only 8 years old, I would sometimes pick on the boys or be quick to slap their arms because I was overtired and did not know how to handle the cries of very small babies.

 

I'll turn a year older in a couple of months. There isn't much of a big deal made over this birthday because it isn't particularly significant.Birthdays, however, stand for development and change to me. 

 

At the age of 18, I helped out with another guardian and nursed a baby who was four months old while my classmates took their examinations. I was clueless about what to do with my life. I experienced tremendous pressure to make the right choices, to pick a career, and to avoid making mistakes.

This is what I would say if I could talk to my 18-year-old self today.

1. Pay attention to your areas of interest; those are your areas of passion.

 

2. Become more wary of yourself because that is how you will grow. Instead of turning your back on your fears, face them. do things that scare you every day.

 

3. Spend time with people who will make you better. actively look for opportunities to grow.

 

4. Regardless of how little you want to care, learning about money is crucial. Read as much as you can to learn as many ways as you can to make money. Think about exploring your entrepreneurial side.