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Completed Game: FREE Time Travel Birthday Advice Game

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Completed Game: FREE Time Travel Birthday Advice Game

maxtrexmom

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:wavey: Hi everybody! Today is a very special day! My oldest son turns 12 today, and we have a fun day planned. He is such a great kid and an awesome big brother. In the back of my mind I'm a little nervous though, because 12 was such a difficult age for me. I've often thought that if I only knew then what I know now I could have enjoyed that part of my life much more, and I think a lot of people probably feel that way. So to play this game please imagine that you can go back in time and talk to your 12 year old self and share what you would say. It can be serious or silly. :D I will choose a winner randomly for a pin prize. :) Feel free to enter as many times as you'd like.
 
I'd tell myself to start collecting Disney pins already so I had some good traders to use today ;-)

Just kidding! On the more serious side, I'd just tell myself that it'll all be okay and not to worry too much. 12 was quite difficult indeed as it's the transition into high school (at least it is here) and you end up with a bunch of new people in class that you've never met before. After middle school that was quite a big change for me, and it definitely took some getting used to.
 
All the people who made fun of you for playing Pokemon instead of sports would one day be obsessed with a Pokemon phone game and have absolutely no idea what's going on and you can literally wipe the floor with them because you've been training for this day all your freaking life. One day, you will be a Pokemon Professor--and that's way cooler that some silly football player!

~Merlin
 
Mine is going to be more serious (sorry for not keeping it lighthearted guys!):
*background is 12 year old me just started learning that she had clinical depression, anxiety, and ADD*
I know you feel different, like an outcast compared to the other kids. But your mental illnesses don't define you unless you let them. You're a wonderful person and were only given these extra struggles because God (or whoever is up there) knows you're a strong girl. These problems won't ever go away, but nothing will be too much for you to handle. If anything, they'll help you become a better person. Don't give up because you have so much potential and love in your heart to give.
 
Be your best self and don't change you or give up what's important to you for anyone else. It's all going to be okay and things have a way of working themselves out. Oh, and smile laugh a lot. It's good for you. :)

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :wiggle:
 
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As a former middle school teacher, I can say this without a doubt - Middle School sucks for everyone! Luckily, it is only three years of your life. It will get better.

Be kind.

Try not to worry what others think.

One can never have too many friends. Be nice to everyone.
 
Forget about boys. ;)

Seriously, though, I would tell myself not to be in such a hurry to grow up. Enjoy where you are instead of always looking to what's coming next.
 
Your education is important. Even at such a young age it can determine what doors will open for your future. That's hard to think about now at such a young age but you won't always be that young!
 
Well, I'm not sure I would tell my past self to do anything differently. My mistakes, bullies, and awkward moments made me into the person I am today! You should always embrace your past, or else you might forget where you came from! And if you forget where you came from, where are you going? My point is basically your mistakes make you, YOU! To sum up my little paragraph here one of my favorite quotes!
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My advice would be: find an adult you feel safe being honest and candid with (as much as I loved my parents, I never felt comfortable talking with them about certain things). Whether you are being bullied, need advice, or just want someone to tell about your awesome crush, it's important to have a resource who will take you seriously and not dismiss your feelings (lots of teen depression goes untreated because adults assume young people are just being dramatic, or just overreacting to puberty). Someone who has the authority to intervene if things are serious.
 
A pretty simple thing I learned was, it may feel like the world is against you at times, I promise it's not. But if you feel like you're drowning, talk to your parents they may be the most uncool people you know but they are the ones who love you unconditionally and have been where you have


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Listen to your parents. They love you and want the best for you.
Treat others with kindness and love, you have no idea what they might be struggling with.
Listen to old people's stories, they have lived longer and have great stories to tell!
Join clubs in school. Not because you want friends, but because you're interested in the club.
Find something you love to do and do it with your whole heart.
Get good grades... You'll need them later in life.
No matter what, don't stop having fun. Life is short and you don't want to miss any of it.
During hard times, remember that people love you and are rooting for you. Troubles are easier to face knowing you're not alone.
 
I've told my kids to never let go of what makes them happy or what they find fun and interesting, simply because they've reached a certain age or plateau in their lives. Sure, many things will fall away on their own, but it should be a natural occurrence. In other words, don't grow up just for the sake of growing up.
 
Start playing soccer now. It'll make the varsity team easier in high school (and you'll probably keep playing all 4 years in high school instead of quitting the team after 9th grade).

Dont be so embarrassed to dance with your father; he's going to be dead in 5 years so enjoy having both parents while you can. Pester parents louder and more urgently about going to Disney World again. See reason above, Dad loved Disney, but memories from little kid times with both parents there are fuzzy then and even fuzzier when you're 30.

Worry less about the glass bowls you go to school with. Maybe slug the main bully in 6th grade instead of waiting till 8th grade. The teasing stops once you assert yourself and prove you're not a pushover anymore. Also, the excuse you're scared of sharks for why you don't go to the beach is kinda crappy, you're going to be a shark chasing scuba diver, and as far as I can see, via Facebook, you're the only diver to come from all these kids.

Maybe ease up on the Beanie Baby collecting. They take up a lot of space.

Ask for a real camera for your birthday instead of that silly Eckards one you had.

Ask Dad to show you what's he's doing when fixing the car. It sucks being female when dealing with mechanics, especially when ones boyfriend knows even less about cars. Also. More pestering of Dad to take you shooting, he's a sharp shooter and probably could have taught you a little something about that.

Be thankful, you can talk to Mom about ANYTHING. Some of your classmates can't. They're afraid to talk to their folks. You're lucky.

Yeah, the car doesn't have AC. It builds character. Also means you won't run your future car's AC as often as most people.

Enjoy the last Christmases with Nana. She won't see you get to high school.

Join in the track team, get into kiddie yoga, just get off your duff! Your butt is gonna get huge compared to your height (guess what, you're not getting any taller) when you hit puberty. Start running now and all those Disney races you're gonna do when you're older will be easier. See soccer team comment above.
 
Thank you guys for your sharing your wisdom!! :D I chose a winner at random and the winner is.... Tokaji!!!! I will be sending you something soon!

Reading your posts has been helpful and reassuring... I'm still feeling a bit unprepared to be mom to a 12 year old, but this helped me understand that I wasn't the only one who had a tough time at that age and we all seem to have turned out great anyway. ;)

Thanks again for participating!!!
 
Don't waste time pretending to be normal. Embrace your quirks - they'll help you find your true friends faster. :)

Try to be kind to EVERYONE you meet. You never know who's going through a rough time right now.

Stay in school, show up at your classes, and do the work, even if it seems stupid or pointless.

Your family members may piss you off, but they love you... and you love them. Remember this, and tell them often.

Don't be afraid to try new things, and make mistakes along the way.
 
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If I could talk to my 12 year old self, I would tell him to ask my dad for $650 to buy 100 shares of Microsoft stock.

It would be worth $1,640,000 today. :p
 
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