Being a sister of six siblings has been a tough yet fruitful experience. I have matured and learned a lot by being the second oldest and taking over my mom’s shoes whenever she is feeling sick and tired. I matured much quicker than most of my friends that were the same age as me. I learned how to cook for my siblings whenever my parents were both working at an earlier age, which was fun but drained a lot of alone time.

I was seen as a second mother instead of an older sister which was stressful and annoying at times. Not only was I the big sister, or second mother, but also their mentor and tutor. I ensured that they understood what they were being taught in school and guided them in successfully completing their homework.

I wanted to go play with my own dolls but I had bigger responsibilities that interfered with my plans. I knew that going out to places meant taking the older siblings with me. I never truly got the chance to breathe my own air.

I always had one sibling run to me with tears, and I was always attentive. Having a huge family resulted in high bills and a humongous amount of money yet to be spent. Both of my parents would work long shifts to keep us fed and clothed. Therefore I spent long hours babysitting as a child. I took a lot of things from these days; I am now patient and won’t feel as new to motherhood in the long run.

When I finally turned fourteen I got my first job. I wanted to help my parents and so I did. I worked with both of my parents full-time during the summer. Mom was able to stop working nights to spend more time with the kids. I worked morning shifts with my dad, and then we drove to our second job at five o’clock.

I learned that nothing comes easy, and one must work to get what they desire. This entire journey made me realize the importance of a college degree. I don’t want my future family to struggle, and I definitely don't want to work two jobs full-time and rarely be able to spend time with my children.

If anything, I am beyond thankful and blessed to have been born in this family. I believe that I was destined to be a part of this family because this experience is what has built me to be who I am today. I can take anything that is thrown my way because I once could manage to be a student, a sister, and a second mother if needed to be.