Category: growing up
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A Different World
Everyone needs a Peter Pan in their life. Just as he opened up a new world to Wendy, in her own magical way, my aunt showed me a completely different way to live. When I was about 10-years-old, I started to rebel against my mother. If she said the sky was blue, I said it…
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Trading Places
Kara said it 100 times a day. “When I grow up, I’ll stay up late.” “When I grow up, I can see what I want online and watch my movies.” “I can’t wait to grow up and do whatever I want.” She thought growing up was the ultimate utopia of unlimited freedom where she could…
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In Search of… Teen Behavior
Xena was a typical teenager on Earth 22. But on this Earth in the multiverse, teens were different. Their advanced curriculum allows them to begin their chosen occupation at the age of 16. Because of her intense curiosity toward other worlds in the multiverse, Xena started her career as a surveyor to observe other worlds…
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Bullies and Being Yourself
I write about bullying for a reason. I was bullied as a child. I was teased for things that were completely beyond my control, simply because others wanted to prop themselves up with their peers or in their own minds by stepping on me. I know many others of all ages who experienced similar things.…
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The Hero of Your Story
I was teased as a kid, mostly for things that were not in my control. I wasn’t good at sports. I liked to read books and watch TV. I wore glasses. And I grew fast in every place, making me the first in my class to wear a bra. That was the worst. It was…
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A Starry Night
One of the best things about being a kid is exploring and noticing the little things in life. Tyler and his friends were no different. On a warm summer night, they enjoyed a rite of passage for eleven-year-olds, the backyard tent sleepover. Tyler and his dad pitched a small pup tent in the backyard and…
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What is Emotional Bullying?
Most people agree a bully is someone who physically assaults another by pushing, hitting, punching, grabbing, knocking books out of hands, stuffing someone into a locker or a dumpster, sticking a head into a toilet, etc. But physical bullying is not the only brand of terror; emotional bullying often leaves as many and deeper scars,…
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A Miracle in Lighthouse Cove
I sit outside my church wondering if I should go in. I hear the melodic sounds of the congregation singing Christmas hymns. It sounds much better from here than inside. Together, they combine to create a singular chorus of joy and community. But from my pew, all I hear is offbeat, out of tune shrill…
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Adventures in Kariland
A streak of light came through the window, waking eight year old Ali from her slumber. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked at the light in wonder. To her young unfettered eyes, the beam was filled with a rainbow of colors and small floating particles that looked like magical stars sparkling in the glow.…
Growing UP Books by Suzanne Rudd 