How would you rate your childhood?

Did you have any trauma? Is that trauma resolved?

If not, what are you doing to fix it to stop it pervading into your adulthood?

I didn't have any trauma, but I feel like my growth was stunted by my parents cheapness.

I scored very high on standardized tests as a child, I received a perfect score on one as a 1st grader(only 2 out of 400 kids did at my school). However, I was kind of pushed into swimming as a sport and grew up as an intelligent kid who was really bored with everything in public schools. Ended up hanging out with my older brothers friends and started drinking fairly regularly at an early age. Wanted to go out of state for college, but although my dad could easily afford it, he wouldn't pay for it. Never was a social butterfly, but always had decent groups of friends.

I'm not the victim of trauma, just a guy who should be doing a lot more than he currently is. I'm making a ton of money right now compared to most people and doing quite well, but I still live near where I grew up and it's not exactly where I want to be. I think once travel restrictions open back up I'll be happier though, as travel is my passion.

Fortunately, it was great. We didn't have much but we made the best out of what we had.

I consider myself really lucky that I grew up in the pre-tech era. I was born in the late 80s so I spent my entire childhood in the 90s. Especially at this time of year, things were a lot of fun. Biking around town, going to the video store to rent Nintendo games and buy Pokemon cards, playing sports, playing in the park, hiking, camping, playing in the pool, water balloon fights, birthday parties, etc. What a great time to grow up. No internet, no cellphones.

Like a 5/10.

Product of a teenage pregnancy. Parents were irresponsible fuk ups. Spent some time in foster care, custody of the state until my dad took me in. Then I became a latchkey kid raised mostly by my grandmother. Around age 10 my dad got a little more responsible, but we were always broke af, would’ve qualified for welfare, food stamps, etc. but his pride was too big (he thought that chit was for women). Around 13 I roamed the streets with a rough crowd who came from similar homes in a kinda chitty neighborhood and had a lot of fun rolling with them until 17ish when I got my first girlfriend.

I think I turned out alright considering my circumstances. Zero substance abuse issues. No mental illness besides mild anxiety. Stable job and relationship. I just never achieved what I was capable of. Never went to college or had much ambition. That being said, most of my peers’ lives are in total disarray now, so I feel lucky.

I use the Dwight Schrute method of resolving trauma by asking myself, "Would a codependent crazy person do that?" And if they would, I do not do that thing. It's a lot less expensive than naval gazing psychotherapy.

when i was 4 years old, there were these 4 or 5 black siblings in our cul de sac that we'd hang with and one day one of them handed me a Transformer toy and as soon as i touched it, it fell apart

he told me that everything i touch is destroyed

that is my earliest memory and he was right

he was dead right

i can still hear his screams

Not good tbh.

Dear diary,

Overall good. Great when I was younger. Single mom. No money. Had to stop playing sports when my grandma died in 4th grade so no one to pay for football and baseball cause mom was so fuking broke. Her death was traumatic. Lung cancer slowly killed her.

But, lived in a great area. In apartments, which didn’t bother me. Great friends, school and church. Also, I got to grow up in the 90’s which was the best decade ever. Did well in school. Never got in trouble.

Then mom married my stepdad when I was 12. I became nonexistent. Got moved away from childhood friends. They fought constantly. Step siblings moved in. Non stop fighting. Stepdad threatened to kick my ass all the time. Started doing bad in school. Getting suspended. Very lonely where we lived too. Out in the country in a small town (big high school though).

Then met biological dad for the first time when I was a senior. He died 4 months later from a drug overdose. Homeless. All of that sucked and still does. But...

Wasn’t sexually abused. Was well liked at school. Not bullied cause I wasn’t a bitch. Played sports but was incredibly lazy. Had a few girlfriends. I’m pretty Christian so I didn’t mess up too much. That fear of going to hell.

Good or bad, unless something awful happened to you (sexual abuse, whole family murdered, etc) your childhood helps shape you to the adult you become, and most of the time in a positive way.