8 Lessons I Learned From My Alternative Parents

As anyone that knows me can now attest to, I’m not exactly the type of person that shies away from speaking my mind — sometimes to a fault. But at the heart of this tell-all quality is an important lesson that my parents taught me early on: my thoughts matter. My parents never spoke to me in baby talk, never ignored or dismissed my questions, and never invalidated the way I felt. Instead, they encouraged me to speak my mind, to pursue my curiosity, and to contribute not only to the smaller conversations but to the world. As a society, we often teach kids that they are less than, simply because they haven’t had the time and experience to mature into adults — but instead we should be encouraging younger generations. By investing in the thoughts, hopes, dreams, and opinions of our kids, we’re building a stronger future.