I’m convinced no one should EVER throw out their teenage journals. They’re literary time capsules of poor choices, adolescent emotions and slang that marked a generation.
Uncovering my long lost journals from high school, and even my overseas gap years, was both hilarious and insightful.
Which boy *gasps* met my eye in chapel and totes held it for, like, at least three seconds…
How the heck Claire managed to see the new Jonas Brothers video BEFORE ME when I’m the one who has a Google alert on them and a poster on the back of MY wardrobe…
The running commentary on my turbulent relationships with everyone and anyone, from the ‘mega hot’ P.E. teacher to my stepmum, who needed to “take a chill pill BIG TIME” when it came to cleaning my room…
They’re pure gold, and some of my finest work.
It’s been said a child’s perspective can often be the truest and unbiased view of the world. But from what I read in my journals, it’s a young woman’s perspective that’s the most brutal.
Basic teenage girl language and celebrity obsessions aside, the pages of these journals contain a worrying pattern of heartbreakingly negative self-talk and discontentment. Having re-read them now in my mid-20s, it makes me sad for my teenage self and protective of the young girl who was so clearly influenced by what everyone else was doing and thinking.
Top Comments
I completely believe this is learned behaviour... I have no doubt parents, for the most part are just doing their best but sometimes it's wrong and they don't even realise!
My parents were CONSTANT yoyo dieters.. Any fad you can think of they did - atkins, weight watchers, paleo, no carb, high protein, no fat, high fat, clean eating, 5/2 etc etc etc they were trying to be healthy and fit and involved for their kids but what they unwittingly taught us is that a size 10 is too fat, that the number on the scale is vital to health and happiness and that we will never be perfect because even though they told us over and over again how perfect we were, to see how much self loathing they had we inevitably compared ourselves to them as we got older and became a size 10 ourselves etc... Now as a result all their kids have weight issues except myself and even though I'm considered skinny/fit I still have those niggling thoughts in the back of my mind which I have spent many many years trying to quieten
Please, please think about what you're saying to yourself and showing your kids as a role model because one day they will compare themselves to you
I found some of my old school diaries many years ago. I read them then burned them. Some of the things I said about myself...awful. A lot of it came from things I was told by school bullies etc & I think when you are young you end up thinking it all has to be true. High school had to be the worst time of my life. I have a daughter who is now in Grade One at primary school and I am already dreading the later school years.
Take her to.martial arts lessons.Best money you elwill spend as it will increase her confidence and give her a way to defend herself because sometimes force is all bullies understand