Anyone that knows me knows that I’m not the ‘typical twenty-two year old.’ I don’t go to parties, I don’t drink or smoke or vape even. I’m not out every weekend with my friends. The biggest thing that makes me different than other twenty-two year old is that I love spending time with my parents.
I secretly love it when my parents find excuses to come into my room when I’m just hanging out, watching TV or doing some homework. For my mom it’s either because she wants to stretch out her back on my memory foam bed, or she wants to see the side yard from my room. In the spring it’s because she wants to see the bunnies in the yard, but more commonly now, it’s so she can watch TV in my room because my dad’s TV is too loud.
(My mom trying to watch her TV in the room next door to my Dad)
My dad’s excuse is like my mom’s during the spring, to see the rabbits or, better yet, get my dog to climb on my bed to see what’s outside the window. Though one of his excuses is just wrong. His popular excuse is coming into my room for my candy, Skittles, Nerds, Everlasting Gobstoppers, M&Ms, you name it. If I come home from campus with any candy, he’ll want it.
(My exact face when he eats my candy)
But again, I love it when they come in, I love watching shows like, Stranger Things, Grace and Frankie, The Santa Clarita Diet, Ozark, and recently, Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes with them. I barely look at my phone when I’m in the moment with my mom. We talk and discuss the shows we watch, either while watching or after . We make jokes and laugh, and with shows like Stranger Things and Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, I get to reminisce with her about what it was like growing up during that time.
Recently I went on vacation with my mother, sister and her boyfriend. A part of our vacation was spent at Disney World, and depending on the ride, I usually sat next to my mom. On some of the games we’d play against each other and honestly, I had a blast. During the vacation, we shared a room,while my sister and her boyfriend had a room they paid for themselves (#Adulting). Now there are some girls that wouldn’t do this, but I didn’t care. I got a free room with my mom and we had fun whether we were watching the news or eating a snack before bed. I see those things as memories that I got to make with my mom, memories that we can’t forget.
With my dad it’s the similar. I’ve always had a love for Star Wars, Classic Cars, and Harley Davidsons. It’s practically in my blood. During the summer on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday nights, I go with my dad and, usually, his work friends, to classic car shows. Tuesday it’s Oceanside, Wednesday its Milleridge Inn in Jericho, and Friday it’s in Bellmore. During the summer on occasions I would have friends want to make plans with me, but being as I had already made plans with my dad I would have to tell them of my plans, and that I could do it another day.
Now I know these aren’t the typical behaviors of a twenty-two year old. What twenty-two year old volunterly wants to, and chooses to, hang out with their parents? But the way I see it is that I have all the time in the world to be with my friends. I see them in the morning and during the day in between classes and, occasionally, I do go out with my friends, when were not all all busy with our classes.
(My face looking at all the work I still have to do and would rather be with friends chillin’.)
On top of that, my parents have done absolutely everything for me. From adopting me from Guatemala, to taking care of me the entire time I was going through my kidney failure, my mom going so far as to sleep on the bedroom floor while I was on Dialysis and my dad being one of the first people who wanted to willingly donate his kidney to me.
My family has always been my number one supporters, and always helped me when ever I needed help or even just a kind word. Hanging out with them is my way of thanking them for everything they’ve done for me and will do for me in the future. It’s because they’ve always been there for me that watching one show, or going one place, with them is never a chore but an actual pleasurable experience.