that angry daughter

By anna celestina

my parents stole my childhood with a compliment.

"you're so mature for your age,"

they said, like it was a gift.

at 8, i was handling conversations meant for eighteen.

at 12, i'm solving problems meant for twenty-one.

maturity wasn't a choice, it was survival.

while other kids threw tantrums, i swallowed mine.

while they played, i parented.

now i'm an adult who has everything,

but doesn't know how to enjoy anything.

"maturity" was just another word for "useful."

i deserved to be immature, messy, childish.

i deserved to be a kid.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GJBY5T39
• ISBN13: 9798245138466
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 106 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 8.0"