I first posted this piece back in 2014 but I think it's still relevant today and it is worth sharing. Enjoy reading!
All of us at some point in life we have had different opinions from our parents about different issues. This is because we view the world and life from different perspectives and we differ in our opinions about life itself. Usually, children/teenagers claim that the world have changed and somethings no more work as they used to when their parents were younger while parents insist they know better because they have more experience. Now, my intention here is not to judge who is right and who is wrong but I admit that in most cases parents are right and even when they are wrong you can be sure that it comes from a place of love and wanting to see you succeed. However, I suggest that its important to listen, not just hearing but to actually listen to a different perspective from your own no matter who it comes from and think about it thoroughly and if possible test its viability instead of simply defending your position. If you can't agree then perhaps agree to disagree in harmony because our differences are what makes us human and diversity is what makes life as we know it.
Suli Breaks is a British spoken-word artist whose works have touched many people including myself by his inspiring, out-of-the-box poems and I would like to share with you one of his masterpiece. It's a poem he titled "Parents are the hardest people to please" on which he tries to address some very crucial parent-children issue.
All of us at some point in life we have had different opinions from our parents about different issues. This is because we view the world and life from different perspectives and we differ in our opinions about life itself. Usually, children/teenagers claim that the world have changed and somethings no more work as they used to when their parents were younger while parents insist they know better because they have more experience. Now, my intention here is not to judge who is right and who is wrong but I admit that in most cases parents are right and even when they are wrong you can be sure that it comes from a place of love and wanting to see you succeed. However, I suggest that its important to listen, not just hearing but to actually listen to a different perspective from your own no matter who it comes from and think about it thoroughly and if possible test its viability instead of simply defending your position. If you can't agree then perhaps agree to disagree in harmony because our differences are what makes us human and diversity is what makes life as we know it.
Suli Breaks is a British spoken-word artist whose works have touched many people including myself by his inspiring, out-of-the-box poems and I would like to share with you one of his masterpiece. It's a poem he titled "Parents are the hardest people to please" on which he tries to address some very crucial parent-children issue.
Be sure to leave your comment below and tell us what you think....
LYRICS
"You act as though you were never like me before
Like you were never young and foolish and far from a model student
Did you forget that you once walked in my shoes
When you would fall into your stupidity, toes and feet first
Play with life although, many times you were told to rehearse
Jumped into relationships and chose to do the research
Like you ain't been there done that and bought the t-shirt
Like you never had a dream that you would strive
For one that you were willing to dedicate life for?
You act as though you were perfect
When you 'parley' your knowledge around as though
You were born equipped with it
I'll say it straight, most parents are hypocrites!!!
Because, you can forget that you were once exactly like me
Except when it's time to remind me that you know better
And close the argument with experience is the best teacher
We see that doesn't always work because
Just because you spent years in a classroom
That doesn't mean that you always learn
And just because you experience something
That doesn't mean that we have to infer
That you were the best student either
And I will openly admit in most instances parents are right
But it's not about our decisions being right or wrong
It's more about using your experience to sympathize
And let us at least know you understand where we're coming from
At least that we can take that in all seriousness and then decide
But instead it's "I'm big, you're small", "I'm right, you're wrong"
And "There's nothing you can do about it"
You make our decisions sound irrational, impractical, when I'm sure,
Was a time, when you had the exact same thought
When you probably didn't know what you wanted to do with your life by the time you were 18
And had not already achieved by 25 and when it came to everything else it was all about
Patience and timing, right? But when it came to me, in my life those things no longer apply
Because I had to be great tomorrow, my plans have to work out today
If I'm not a millionaire right now all my efforts have been in vain
We look up to you as our teachers and our leaders
How are we supposed to achieve success
If the person that is supposed to be our biggest fan is never been in the bleachers
It's like chasing a dream with the coach that has no faith in the team
To the parents who's son spends all day playing football games
On that Xbox and that PS3 you spent too much money on just to shut him up on his birthday
Well did you know that there are thousands of people on YouTube making money from doing exactly the same
And millions of more opportunities in industries related to game
Have you ever tried to cultivate that interest? Have you ever touch the controller?
Except when he left it on the floor and you broke it accidentally by stepping on it
Withering in pain, watching him complain as you told him that you're not gonna buy him a new one
And it shouldn't have been on the floor in the first place
And every time he slipped in a grade or stayed out too late, you locked it away
I know a girl who according to her parents spends too much time at singing recitals
So they tell her to shut up so they can watch American Idol
I know a child who is trying to start a business
Which his parents have never shown interest in or have a penny invested
But still encourage him to sit with them and watch the Apprentice
What about the ones that are constantly emphasizing the importance of having a back-up plan?
The kicker is the back-up plan concept and I don't even need to explain it
Because everyone knows what I'm referring to
But let me put it like this, how comfortable would you feel standing on the front line
With a general who keeps emphasizing your role and it's importance
But spends his whole time investing his efforts in the reinforcements?
Just think for a second, because if you show more interest in a person's back-up plan
Than the actual plan, then you're actually accurately fractionally factually
Impractically tactfully didactically drastically
Showing where your faith in his plan actually stands
Put yourself in our snickers for a bit, because
Statistics show that between 16 and 18 your feet no longer grow...
So it's not that they don't fit, it's just that since you started walking on water
You forgotten it, and stop, tryna overshadowed, but understand us kids
Eventually when they become adults any success they have rather than just contributing
I bet you'd rather say that you were actually a part of it
"You act as though you were never like me before
Like you were never young and foolish and far from a model student
Did you forget that you once walked in my shoes
When you would fall into your stupidity, toes and feet first
Play with life although, many times you were told to rehearse
Jumped into relationships and chose to do the research
Like you ain't been there done that and bought the t-shirt
Like you never had a dream that you would strive
For one that you were willing to dedicate life for?
You act as though you were perfect
When you 'parley' your knowledge around as though
You were born equipped with it
I'll say it straight, most parents are hypocrites!!!
Because, you can forget that you were once exactly like me
Except when it's time to remind me that you know better
And close the argument with experience is the best teacher
We see that doesn't always work because
Just because you spent years in a classroom
That doesn't mean that you always learn
And just because you experience something
That doesn't mean that we have to infer
That you were the best student either
And I will openly admit in most instances parents are right
But it's not about our decisions being right or wrong
It's more about using your experience to sympathize
And let us at least know you understand where we're coming from
At least that we can take that in all seriousness and then decide
But instead it's "I'm big, you're small", "I'm right, you're wrong"
And "There's nothing you can do about it"
You make our decisions sound irrational, impractical, when I'm sure,
Was a time, when you had the exact same thought
When you probably didn't know what you wanted to do with your life by the time you were 18
And had not already achieved by 25 and when it came to everything else it was all about
Patience and timing, right? But when it came to me, in my life those things no longer apply
Because I had to be great tomorrow, my plans have to work out today
If I'm not a millionaire right now all my efforts have been in vain
We look up to you as our teachers and our leaders
How are we supposed to achieve success
If the person that is supposed to be our biggest fan is never been in the bleachers
It's like chasing a dream with the coach that has no faith in the team
To the parents who's son spends all day playing football games
On that Xbox and that PS3 you spent too much money on just to shut him up on his birthday
Well did you know that there are thousands of people on YouTube making money from doing exactly the same
And millions of more opportunities in industries related to game
Have you ever tried to cultivate that interest? Have you ever touch the controller?
Except when he left it on the floor and you broke it accidentally by stepping on it
Withering in pain, watching him complain as you told him that you're not gonna buy him a new one
And it shouldn't have been on the floor in the first place
And every time he slipped in a grade or stayed out too late, you locked it away
I know a girl who according to her parents spends too much time at singing recitals
So they tell her to shut up so they can watch American Idol
I know a child who is trying to start a business
Which his parents have never shown interest in or have a penny invested
But still encourage him to sit with them and watch the Apprentice
What about the ones that are constantly emphasizing the importance of having a back-up plan?
The kicker is the back-up plan concept and I don't even need to explain it
Because everyone knows what I'm referring to
But let me put it like this, how comfortable would you feel standing on the front line
With a general who keeps emphasizing your role and it's importance
But spends his whole time investing his efforts in the reinforcements?
Just think for a second, because if you show more interest in a person's back-up plan
Than the actual plan, then you're actually accurately fractionally factually
Impractically tactfully didactically drastically
Showing where your faith in his plan actually stands
Put yourself in our snickers for a bit, because
Statistics show that between 16 and 18 your feet no longer grow...
So it's not that they don't fit, it's just that since you started walking on water
You forgotten it, and stop, tryna overshadowed, but understand us kids
Eventually when they become adults any success they have rather than just contributing
I bet you'd rather say that you were actually a part of it
Actually wait because apparently I'm a patron of confusion
I've never offer any solutions to fairly obvious conclusions
Simply because I feel it's not my place to say that my opinion works for everyone
But just in this instance here is a simple one, talk to your little one
Because no matter how much you like to believe it's 2014 and no one is really a kid anymore
With access to clips at our finger tips we're exposed to the world without having to open the front door
So ask them what their dream is, how and what we, not they, we can do to achieve it
You're children are your biggest asset, so invest time in speaking, invest time in listening!
Invest time in hearing, invest time in learning how to play Pro Evolution Soccer
And fashion trends and sing Beyonce. Invest time in not just being a responsible adult
And I agree, you spoil the child if you spare the rod
But ultimately we just want you to believe in us,
Because the family is the strongest corporation that you can have
Yeah, Peace!"
I've never offer any solutions to fairly obvious conclusions
Simply because I feel it's not my place to say that my opinion works for everyone
But just in this instance here is a simple one, talk to your little one
Because no matter how much you like to believe it's 2014 and no one is really a kid anymore
With access to clips at our finger tips we're exposed to the world without having to open the front door
So ask them what their dream is, how and what we, not they, we can do to achieve it
You're children are your biggest asset, so invest time in speaking, invest time in listening!
Invest time in hearing, invest time in learning how to play Pro Evolution Soccer
And fashion trends and sing Beyonce. Invest time in not just being a responsible adult
And I agree, you spoil the child if you spare the rod
But ultimately we just want you to believe in us,
Because the family is the strongest corporation that you can have
Yeah, Peace!"
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Tags
Family & Parenting