How was your childhood and how do you think it affected you as a person?

Answer 1

Tough. My mother abandoned me and my brother when we were babies.My father bought me up and then met my stepmother who I hated for years. I am 40 now and when I went to school it was tough - life was harder then, socially and politically it was a lot tougher, no one had any money. However, over the years I have come to love my stepmother (and step sister). I have a wonderful partner, a good job and own my own business. I don't have children (my own childhood put me off). I love my life and am very happy. Hardship will make or break you. It made me, I am tough and independent although inside, I can be insecure which is from my childhood I guess. One lasting problem is I don't have time for people who moan and groan about life and aren't prepared to work for what they want. I don't suffer fools gladly.

I finally met my birth mother last year and realised that she is now a sad old lady with no remorse or guilt - the best thing she did was to leave me - I have blosomed under the love and support of my stepmother.

Answer 2

My childhood was fine up until middle school, 7th grade more specifically. That was around the time social cliques were finally fully developed, and I was nobody. This caused me to be a victim of a lot of teasing, which gradually got worse and worse. I finally found a social standing when I got a job and began buying my own clothes. Unfortunately I also became part of the same group that did the most teasing, and became just like them. Sometime in 11th grade I realized just how bad I had become. Around this time I started going to church and became very close with the kids my age there, eventually I became a Christian and that is where I put my identity now, and in that environment I am loved for who I am no matter how I choose to dress or what style of music I prefer, unlike the high school clique system that builds around basically these two elements.

Answer 3

My childhood was good and rough!! I had the statistical lifestyle of a broken home. As challenging as it was, I grew by leaps and bounds from the experiences that were both good and bad. Dad left in '81, I was 7. Mom had to work really hard to make ends meet because Dad was too busy partying most of the time. He did not come around much, which hurt at the time, but know that I look back on it.....a blessing. Shortly after Dad left, I suffered a molestation by a family member, thankfully it was only a one time ordeal. We moved out of our area....I made friends with a girl whose mother was young and thought it was okay to give drugs to small children (4th or 5th grade). I became quite promiscuous, headed deeper down the road of drug addiction.That road I traveled just until I was 21. Which of course by then I had 2 children of my own. When my 2nd daughter was about to turn one...I had experienced enough and got off of drugs. It took me until then to realize that what I had experienced as a child was not my fault, but that continuing that lifestyle as an adult was a conscious choice. I gained a lot of perspective from all of my life experiences.....and honestly I would not change them for a thing!! Even the bad...has taught me what I will and will not tolerate or put up with in my life. Because of my childhood, I think I have a slightly better outlook on parenting...simply because I know what kids are capable of...and I can relate.
I think that my childhood prepared me well, I am fairly well rounded, I tend to be a fair yet stern parent. I am a loving and devoted wife. I think I turned out pretty good for someone who fell into a lot of different statistics....

Answer 4

My childhood had its ups and downs. On one hand, I was close to my sisters and my mom. I had a good imagination, and had a lot of fun. On the other hand, I was asthmatic, and my dad was abusive, lazy, and an alcoholic.

Naturally all of this affected me and I am, in part, a product of that childhood. That said, I have also changed despite my childhood. Statistically, I had a good chance of being an abuser, too. I had a 75% higher chance than normal of being a smoker, because both of my parents smoked. I had a 80% better chance of being an alcoholic, because that runs in the family as well. I could be lazy like my dad and jump from crappy job to crappy job. I could easily use all of this as an excuse to not be a good person.

My childhood affected me as a person by teaching me right from wrong. I saw the good things that happened to me, and how the people who did those good things were rewarded. I saw the bad things that happened, and learned that there are consequences to your actions. I would never be like my dad, because I saw what his lifestyle did to him. My mom, meanwhile, was practically a saint, and is beloved by everyone who knows her. Thank God for a few good role models. That said, how my life turned out was ultimately my own decision. So my childhood affected me in positive and negative ways, but which side won out ultimately was my own doing.

Answer 5

I was fed, clothed and a roof kept over my head. I lived with my natural parents. I was not shown love, I was punished a great deal. My parents have never shown love to me and that does make me bitter, but as I said before, they fed me and kept me alive possibly out of a sense of duty rather then love so I feel I cannot complain about the 'emptiness' of my childhood, after all I was not physically abused or malnourished, although there was some emotional/mental torture but not a lot. I never felt good enough for them, or that I ever got anything right. I am grown up now and trying to let go of my childhood, when I think about it I think about the millions of children who had and have it a million times worse, then my experience does not feel half as bad.
The only good thing that came out of my childhood is the fact that I treat my son in the exact opposite way my parents treated me, I tell him more then once a day that I love him and that he is so wanted and appreciated. I don't want him to grow up bitter and on some level hating his parents like I do.

Answer 6

I had quite a bad childhood,and it's badly scarred me i still struggle now and its horrible.Everyone i've trusted has done something agaisnt me.My dad didn't love me and used to tell me this aswell,he verbally abused me from the age of 11yrs old up untill now.For an 11yr old child to be told things i was its no surprise i am the way i am,i just didn't get it i thought i'd done something wrong to upset my dad.Theres more then all that aswell but im not gonna say on here.I know that im badly messed up as a person through all the abuse,i dont trust people and am very critical.I cant move on with life im trapped as a victim.I know im a strong person though,people wouldn't be living my life i lead.

Answer 7

Early child hood - 0-10 yrs is a important factor in the personality development of a child. I grew up in a huge matriarchal joint family in a small town near the cap of India. Well, this made me into, a driven, stubborn and a little selfish human being cos i had to fight for everything when i was a kid.

And I guess, it maybe due to the attention deficiency syndrome while i was a toddler that made me consious about putting up a good, serene and peaceful front when in midst of close circuit people and on the same time an arrogant *** to other people. LOL

Answer 8

My childhood started off good but then I was abused from age 10 and my 'mother' sided with the abuser and abused me herself. She even left me to die! However...I am an optimistic and happy person now (age 27) and I believe that, in life, the bad things we experience only make us appreciate the good things in life that much more. Now I feel enriched by all of the good things/people in life and have the strength and determination to get through any bad times. I believe that it is all of our experiences, both good and bad, in childhood and up to the present day, that shape who we are as a person and that we can learn from any experiences and become more empowered for them.
Best wishes,
Catwoman Alex.

Answer 9

My mother's childhood unfortunately affected my own childhood. You don't want to know.I got through drugs among other things but I'm Alive now! Life is still very difficult and I have and I want to face it with hope and strength. But I don't think I will ever have any kids.

Answer 10

Hi! I have really good memories... I always said I was and I still am so lucky person. I had a normal family, they always helped me, took care of me, and they still there, by my side. We always had good communication and I could talk with them about everything, ad my bro' too. A few years ago, when I started to work, I feel I can take of myself, but I know they will always be there. I think I empathic, and it helps to be tolerant with the others. I'm proud and glad of my family and my childhood, I wish everybody could have a nice childhood, 'cos it's an influence for the rest of one's life. Good luck, hugs!!!