Voice of a Barrel Child

Barrel kids, you know them, probably your neighbour, maybe your best friend. I've got as my close friends. They're everywhere, especially scattered across Jamaica, usually they're the ones with the latest I-phone , attitude problem or the world's most nonchalant kid you'll ever find that lives with one parent, grandmother or aunt or even some random cousin or neighbour. I'm one of them I know. From my observation and personal experiences there are basically three categories of Barrel Children , only there's no distinct line that really separates them but there are noticeable differences depending on the time the parent left and the effect on the child.
So firstly one thing you should know, they're not all spoiled, not everyone gets nice things and we aren't rich. Got that? Good, let's go.


The first category is one my friend falls into, the child who doesn't know they're parent(s). These kids were left from , as my grandmother would say 'eye deh a knee', unfortunately they were too young when their parent left and as a result, they have no memory of them, I think they have it the hardest because there's no real relationship with their parent/s and they generally feel all alone, they're the ones with severe anger management issues, trust me. They're usually showered with gifts and depending on who the child is and their personality things may go haywire, mainly because if an iphone 7 is released TODAY the want it by last week and when they don't receive it, they feel as if you (the parent) no longer cares for them and "you left them all alone and run gone a farin to work and you can't even send them a proper phone, they've had this one for a year now and it's not even working properly, so why are you even there then if you can't afford certain thing" Lol guys, LOL.

Moving on, the second category is the one I fall in so I'm well versed on this life, these are the children who got the chance to know their parents for like seven or six years of their life and then *poof* drop in grandma or auntie's arms. Lol, and so this child really feels left alone, I could share sad stories with y'all , and yeah of course your parent calls and to be honest in primary school I was on top of the world because I could get what I asked for and my parents called regularly, so no biggie right? Naa, because then you go to high school and that's when you really need a support system, and when everyone has their parents, who do you have? A phone call. You just can't relate and you think they don't know you so why bother? So second category people, get bored with what they get just as easily as first, they have more abandonment issues, just more personal issues overall because it's basically like tearing a child away from their mother at the age where they understand what's going on and are forced to hold on to the memories they have from like 10 to 15 years ago, they get blurry after a while.
*Observation and personal experience, does not apply to everyone.

Okay, so last but not least , the third category, the lucky ones if I must say so myself.  These are the kids who grew up with their parents and then the parent left only the parent visits yearly or every to years. Point is they get to see them and that eases the pressure and so they're left with less issues than the first and second categories. Just some anger here and there due to living situations, or they miss their parents , not downplaying their issues but I think they face less trials that accompany being a barrel child.  

Okay with that said, they're still one of them same, people still view them as privileged and maybe they are but you can forget sympathy. "Weh that a go , your mada deh a farin suh weh yu have fi bother you" says the girl with her stable support system. Girl/Boy bye!   They're probably dealing with way more than you know. Plus being spoiled doesn't helped with everyday life either.

So some pro's.

• Getting stuff 
• Less financial worries. 
• Guilt trip to get stuff (this nuh work for me, just saying) 

Cons 

• Issues ,Issues , Issues 
• More issues 
• Constant Moving 
• Anger Issues 
• Abandonment issues 
• Attachment (generally get attached to people who show a little compassion and act as a stable figure in their life, however attachments are always unhealthy 
• Not getting things people expect you to have.   
• There's actually a thing such as Barrel Child Syndrome

Anyway y'all get the gist, But you know some people eventually get to live with their parents so that's a plus right? Unless you're a category one so you're basically moving in with strangers.  

Basically this post is to give some insight on the daily struggles these kids go through, and of course it's not easy for the parents either, so don't overlook Barrel children just  because the way they were raised forced them to behave or feel a certain way.  In other words, stop ask mi if mi nuh miss mi mother (if you're not my friend) and if mi parents nuh deh a farin suh what's my issue. 

Stay Cute guys !😃

TwistedMb