Fortunately, my parents encouraged and supported us kids in our curiosity and our opinions, and went to bat for us if it was necessary. We were not scolded for asking all sorts of questions.
Non-conformity was anathema to my ‘rents.
They wanted me to be a secretary.
[rofl]
All my talents were ‘useless’ *except* for times I got my face in the paper for winning some art or spelling contest or they featured me looking suitably studious and intellectual some goofy PTA ‘scholastic achievements’ school self-promo film.
[lord I hope they’ve burned that film]
Then, I was The Golden Child.
My ‘useless art talent’ eventually translated into $2K murals on Harleys.
Wasn’t so pointless, then.
You had good parents.
[mine literally cringed whenever I said “Why (fill in the blank)?”
Mom said I was switched by Gypsies.
:)