Did you have a happy or unhappy childhood?

I'm not sure how to answer this question because I think, relative to who? I had two parents, a reasonable home, and food on the table. My father was fully employed, though an unskilled worker, and my mother was quite caring. Yes, there was often conflicts between myself and my dad, and sometimes the arguments could get really heated, but I wasn't physically abused. I have to admit my dad did seem distant at times, unlike my mom. My parents weren't interested in education, and neither was I, so the first chance I got I left school to earn a wage, and I took it.

There were happy moments, sure, but without making excuses, I think my parents could have been more supportive in exposing me to different experiences to spark my interest and possible future development. But when you're an ordinary working-class family, the first priority is survival, and that takes energy. In fact, my dad worked nights for years, which couldn't have been easy. Looking back, I regret not passing any exams because I later discovered that without them, your employment opportunities are severely limited, and you often end up in dead-end jobs, moving on in hopes of finding something better. I have a feeling my dad may have been on the spectrum, although I could be entirely wrong, but if so, it couldn’t have been easy for him. In those days, autism wasn’t really widely known, so I guess people would have used terms like “depression” or “anxiety” to explain certain behaviours.

I'm not sure how to answer this question because I think, relative to who? I had two parents, a reasonable home, and food on the table. My father was fully employed, though an unskilled worker, and my mother was quite caring. Yes, there was often conflicts between myself and my dad, and sometimes the arguments could get really heated, but I wasn't physically abused. I have to admit my dad did seem distant at times, unlike my mom. My parents weren't interested in education, and neither was I, so the first chance I got I left school to earn a wage, and I took it.

There were happy moments, sure, but without making excuses, I think my parents could have been more supportive in exposing me to different experiences to spark my interest and possible future development. But when you're an ordinary working-class family, the first priority is survival, and that takes energy. In fact, my dad worked nights for years, which couldn't have been easy. Looking back, I regret not passing any exams because I later discovered that without them, your employment opportunities are severely limited, and you often end up in dead-end jobs, moving on in hopes of finding something better. I have a feeling my dad may have been on the spectrum, although I could be entirely wrong, but if so, it couldn’t have been easy for him. In those days, autism wasn’t really widely known, so I guess people would have used terms like “depression” or “anxiety” to explain certain behaviours.

lostmyway said:

In fact, my dad worked nights for years, which couldn't have been easy.

My dad did too as a welder at a motor company. 

In fact he spent years on alternate weeks of days and nights.

He was always tired.

lostmyway said:

But when you're an ordinary working-class family, the first priority is survival, and that takes energy.

I think poverty can sap the goodness from life.