"Dear adult, some advice on how to talk to me" -- Munashe Charera

I am young, you were young once and I know that when adults raised their voices to you, you never liked it. Neither do I.

Dear adult, when you talk to me, please show me that you are going to speak to me to better me and not to put me down. Please speak words of encouragement because when you were young I know you needed encouragement to believe in yourself. I am vulnerable and shouting at me makes me feel less of myself than I do.

When I am wrong, please correct me by showing me my mistake and how I can fix it. I am young, mistakes make me learn and become stronger emotionally when you show that you actually care.

Dear adult, please help me learn so that I do not make the same mistakes that you have made in life. Please give me life advice before I do what I will regret in life.

You have been through it all. I am only starting to feel the pain of life. Peer pressure has ceased to be an issue but I now need to know myself.  So when you speak to me do not speak negatively to me because I am only starting to experience the hardships of life.

I am young, ambitious, a dreamer, I still believe in happy endings, so, dear adult , when you speak to me please do not spoil this experience for me and tell me how bad life is. I am young I have time to discover it myself. Please talk to me with respect; although I am half your age, I also like to be acknowledged as a young adult. I understand that you are human too and that you do get depressed but please try smile at me when you speak to me. I feel appreciated when you do.

Dear adult, I just ask for one thing to be treated as equally as the way you treat others older than you. Believe it or not, I am human too and it hurts me to see two different sides of you.

Munashe Charera