"mzstephens" knows how it is, ... from the time you thought you had life figured out - (probably around 7th grade these days, or whenever it was you realized your parents weren't in the bedroom moving furniture late at night after all ...) You couldn't wait to be grown, could you? ...you said, "I can't wait til' I turn 18, just watch, I'ma get my own apartment, have me a job, and do what I want... 'cause I'm tired of people trippin' and tryin' to tell me what to do!"...

Then you turn 18. Before graduation. Before you can get anything other than a fast food or retail job, at which you will most likely be scheduled for 25 hours a week or less, and there's not a whole lot you can do, because all the retired people have gone back to work, and they are accepting those jobs too. Then the very people who got on your nerves so bad - are who you'll be expecting to pay for senior pictures, your prom tickets, hair, nails, dress, or tuxedo, and 'Grad Nite'. You graduate, and have to figure out a life, because technically you are now an adult. And let's just imagine, you have your own baby now... but you still live in ya' mama's house, use ya' mama's washing machine and laundry supplies... and have the nerve to run up utilities etc., you have no means of paying or contributing to. Now, these parents are not hard hearted people, because as you know, they had to walk to school 10 miles in the snow ... 'yada, 'yada, 'yada... so they understand and sympathize and want to see you get off on a good start, so they help with whatever they can. Maybe it's helping you get your infant to medical appointments, or picking up some of the many things this little person needs. So, wait - when your mama drives all the way from her job that she's been at since 6:00 in the morning, to help you run your errands, about your business, just to find you and 'baby mama' or 'baby daddy' both waitin' for her when one of y'all could have gotten your lazy selves up and walked or caught the bus, you actually feel she shouldn't be mad?

It may not be top of the line transportation, but sometimes that help may mean you'll inherit one of the family vehicles, which is by no means anything other than to be considered a stepping stone. You in turn, continue on furthering your education, and seeking a career avenue, so that you can move out into that apartment, etc. And maybe you do, and maybe in no time - you're able to get a new, more reliable vehicle, and so forth, and so on. If you stick to the plan, don't get pregnant again, or get someone pregnant again, finish school and can handle your responsibilites (here is where I exhale ... ) then "I",... as your parent would not be paying your delinquent parking tickets that you got in my name, and never bothered to pay!!!

...Moral of the story is - for you, you are anxious for the real world and responsibilities, but for us parents, until you are actually mature enough to handle life, it's just a "responsi "bill" itease... because we'll still have to carry your loads, and ours. I guess it's true that just because you're "grown", doesn't mean you're "gone"... copyright pending