I am not a product of my Environment

 By: Olivia Andrews

I lived Laventille Road for 28 years of my life. I saw many persons with whom I would have grown up with or went to school with even my step brother die because of crime, because they choose to go down the road of cheating, stealing and other nefarious activities to make it the quick way in life.

WE need to put first the things first those of us that have children we need to teach them respect for others, for the property of others, and general manners. I attended a PTA meeting in my 3 year old's school and the teacher was disgusted by how many children are now raising their parents and how little these children did not care about authority.

There were a couple children that she had problems with, including one student who if she instructed him to stand, sit, read or do any work his answer was no. This could potentially be the making of a child that grows up to be broken. We need to help our kids, not make excuses for them and their behaviour

They need to start acting like the adult once more and not let them lead us because we are just setting them up for failure. When they grow up and realize that everything does not go the way they want it to they sometimes become angry and disenchanted.I choose the long way even though my father was not a physical part of my life and my mother died when I was only nine years old. I believe that we can all make it with a good solid foundation we all can achieve.

This is why I try to provide a good foundation for my little girl. I thank God everyday that my mother had the hind sight to ensure that I knew who he was from an early stage in my life because he is my rock.

Even though I strived for excellence and would have encountered some obstacles along the way and I am still trying. I now live Picton Laventille for the past year and as simple as saying good morning and good evening I have earned the respect of those in my neighbourhood, how do I know this they actually came out and told me.

Always no matter what or where you go show others respect you never know who is paying attention and when that individual/s may be the one who you need when you are in a situation where help is needed.      

• Avoid those people that seem to attract negativity or hang out with individuals that are not upstanding citizens because you would not know when you became one of them.
• Inspire of the names people may call you like pricey, fake, and the foolish term white remember what your end goal is which it to rise above what you see around.
• Respect everyone because in the end they respect you it is just that they do not know how to get out of the situation that they got themselves into, so they believe that they world is out to get them.
• Do not ever forget where you came from because it is a big part of your development and your driving source of an inspiration to do better for yourself.
• Try to give back to your community in whatever way possible, it does not have to be monitory, but help others to know that they too can make it show them how they can achieve this.