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My mom, my brother and I. I was little about 3yrs old. My mom always told me she made my dress her self.

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I grew up as the youngest sibling of two. My older brother is 4 years older than me. My mom is a single mom who worked 9-5 as a seamstress. Every weekend my mom would take us out to eat or do something fun like the movies or “Family Fun Center” (it’s now called Boomers), and sometimes mass on Sundays. Life was difficult for my mother growing up as one of the oldest siblings of 12. Then continued to be difficult as a single mother of two. Our socioeconomic status was at poverty level. Although my mom didn’t burden us with the financial stress she carried, we knew enough to not ask for anything unnecessary or expensive. We never lacked the necessary things.

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During the first 7 years of my life we lived at grandma’s house. My grandma’s parenting style was extremely authoritarian so I did my best to be obedient and that created a good relationship between us. My brother on the other hand (as well as the rest of my cousins) would always attempt to defy my grandma and talk back, so she saw it as disrespect. My mom’s parenting style was also authoritarian during the week, but a little passive in the weekends. She would choose the clothes that we had to wear and tell us get ready, but we never knew for what until we were already at the laundry mat or at a birthday party.

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Our family dynamics changed since the moment we started living with my uncles (after leaving grandma’s house), they always had something to say in regards to how my mom was raising us. They wanted to control my mom’s finances as well as her social life. It got to the point where they wanted to “discipline” my brother and I. My mom eventually reconnected with my brother’s father and we all moved to Los Angeles. This was the only time I had a glimpse of being part of a family with a mom and dad. In my stepdad’s eyes, my brother and I were perfect children and he would spoil us all the time.

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According to statistics, I should have had low self esteem, struggle in academics, hang out with bad crowds and abuse alcohol and drugs. Fortunately, none of that is true. There’s always someone in my life that lifts me up when I need it the most. Some have been there my entire life while others are new beautiful people that I have met throughout the years. I never struggled with academics, in fact, I enjoy reading and learning new things. I was an A or B+ student. I wasn’t a social person, I have always been the observer and the quiet one. So I didn’t have a problem with not fitting in with the popular crowd. I had a lot of friends, but smart friends, I just wasn’t allowed to hang out with anyone after school. My husband and I have known each other for almost 17 years and married for almost 7. We have two boys, 5 and 1. Lastly, we don’t abuse alcohol nor drugs. Overall, I think I proofed statistics wrong.