‘90s FAMILY : GENERATIONS : Scenes From a Mall : Daughter’s View

I like to go to the mall. It’s a fun place to hang out with my friends after school. It gives me something to do. There are places to go shopping, there’s just a lot of stuff you can do there so you won’t get bored.

We walk around, talk about stuff, meet people. My friend’s mom owns a shop at the mall, so sometimes we hang out there. Sometimes, if we get bored, we go to the formal section and try on all the dresses.

But my mom has all her little rules and I think that’s stupid. I mean, how much trouble can you get into at the mall? Her keeping in touch thing, I guess that’s understandable. She needs to know where I am.

Sometimes it’s hard, though, if I have to say, “Hold on, I have to call my mom.” Then I have to rush out of the store. Other than that it’s OK.

I don’t know why she doesn’t think the mall is safe. I see cops around there all the time so I know they’re going to protect me if something happens. There are always people around.

I’m sure not everyone at the mall is perfect, but they’re not all out to get you. If you stay clean, nothing should happen. It’s not like someone is going to come up to me at the mall and pull a gun out and ask me for money.

That’s crazy!

I’m sorry I have to say this, but I think she’s being overprotective. Like, come on, I’m 14. I think they should trust me more. I’m their own daughter. It just bugs me that they’re so overprotective.

They know me and I know they love me. All that little speech thingie about they trust me but not other people. Well, I am old enough to handle these things.

I’m getting up there in the big world. I have to learn sooner or later how to take care of myself. She’s not going to be with me every step of the way. They might as well get it over with right now and let me do things on my own.