Okay. You can do this – right? Take one step and then another…and then another. Can’t be that hard – right? Right? ‘Cause basically that’s what life is all about - taking one step at a time…well that’s what our parents say anyway.

Being young is never easy, being twelve is even worse. Wanna know why? I’ll tell you – it’s pretty simple actually. At twelve years old you remember everything. Now, to many of you that won’t sound so bad –right? That’s probably because you just don’t get it! Adults usually don’t.

When I was twelve, my parents got divorced. Not so bad, I know – just another family case but to me it was BIG. It’s so not cool to see your parents fighting every evening, hear your own dad talking to his “chiquitita” over the phone and to know how much money messes stuff up.

Now, ‘cause twelve years of age is a very important age (puberty and all) its not surprising when you start reacting to things the same way the people around you react. For example peer pressure. All the adults say how it’s a bad thing and how we must be strong individuals…blah blah blah…but in truth they started it. Come on – think about it. If your parents don’t like watching the Playboy Mansion, when you’re older there’s a big chance that you won’t allow your kids to watch it. If your parents enjoy eating Chinese food and hate Indian food then you probably will too – it’s what you’re used to, a routine if you will.

So if your parents are divorced, you live with your mom and she resents your father…then guess what? You probably hate your father too. It’s not fair you know - wasn’t for me. Okay, okay…you doubtless think I’m babbling about something totally random and irrelevant…but then you probably still don’t get it.

I WANTED to get to know my father, I WANTED to chill with friends on the weekend instead of taking care of my brothers when my mother had a break down and I WANTED to get great school grades. I definitely did not want to hear screaming when I went to bed at night or to have so much responsibility and anguish at such a young age.

Basically I wanted my life back – but again, guess what? That’s not possible. So don’t you dare tell me that I’m emo, weird or I’m not the child you grew me up to be all because of peer pressure…because in truth – YOU, my own ‘parents’, did this to me.