Beauty

[sun8shine]

As I remember it - not much. Getting accepted to college, having a job to buy my own clothes and make up.

It seems to be part of the teenage condition to be unsure.

I'm raising some teens I think part of the problem is that childhood friendships are sort of "managed" by many parents beginning in pre-school. In elementary school it was very much a series of playdates scheduled by the parents rather than kids just making new friends at the playground or in class.

I think that can be age appropriate with young children, but the children themselves need to forge the connections and parents need to allow them the room to do this. Not all do.

Kids also communicate differently with technology and social media (which I am very happy they didn't have when I was a teen). It can be brutal and leads to some warped decision making for kids.

I have also seen teens that seem to make friendships less like what I remember from high school and college and more like what you see in the workplace. A little less intimate, a little more strategic. Again, this could be a part of social media - let your guard down and someone could blast your private thoughts out on facebook for 600 kids to read and share - or snap an embarrassing picture.

My kids both have good friendships, but they are with people that they found on their own.

[RainyDayGal]

I was very insecure growing up, and pretty much stayed that way through a lot of my adult life. So I would have to say nothing made me feel comfortable in my own skin.

[vac]

Nothing. I was an insecure mess. I think the only thing that gave me a little confidence was winning a countywide essay contest as a senior. At least then I knew I had a skill!

[Suzeecat]

I've been pretty insecure my entire life. It's only recently, in my 50s, that I feel comfortable in my own skin, comfortable being seen without makeup and hair done, etc. I'm not sure if it had anything to do with my home life or something else. Many people do not have ideal lives, dare I say Most?

[151949]

On 7/16/2014 suzeecat said:

I've been pretty insecure my entire life. It's only recently, in my 50s, that I feel comfortable in my own skin, comfortable being seen without makeup and hair done, etc. I'm not sure if it had anything to do with my home life or something else. Many people do not have ideal lives, dare I say Most?

Until I came to this BB I would have said many more kids have good lives than bad but after being here a while I have to agree with you - at least here on the BB there are a lot of people who had messed up childhoods. It has made me feel extremely grateful i had a great set of parents and grandparents and a blessed childhood.

[HappyDaze]

On 7/16/2014 suzeecat said:

I've been pretty insecure my entire life. It's only recently, in my 50s, that I feel comfortable in my own skin, comfortable being seen without makeup and hair done, etc. I'm not sure if it had anything to do with my home life or something else. Many people do not have ideal lives, dare I say Most?

Unfortunately, I think you are probably right.

[myshell624]

I have wonderful parents and was blessed with good friends. Of course, I met the love of my life at 16 . We will be married 19 years the 22nd of this month. He has always made me feel good about myself.

[Coco Butter Bean]

On 7/16/2014 RedConvertibleGirl said:

I was very insecure growing up, and pretty much stayed that way through a lot of my adult life. So I would have to say nothing made me feel comfortable in my own skin.

I have been reading through all of the posts, trying to figure out how to sum up my experience. You did it for me! This is exactly what it was like for me. Thank you!

[twocent]

Just dreaming about the day that I would no longer be abused .

That was my entire childhood dream.

[Naturesbeauty]

The morning ""hug"" my mom gave me each day before sending me off to school. Something parents don't do enough now-a-days due to the fact that they are to busy ""TEXTING!""