May 13, 2023
By Tara Tiyaloglu
Managing Editor
Growing up with a single mother in a single-parent, immigrant household shaped me into who I am today. I’m independent, I know how to handle hard situations and I don’t rely on other people.
My mom, my sister and I have a close bond because we have gone through a lot of obstacles together, and we are always there for each other. I live in an all-female home, and even though the three of us have our differences, we’re still family at the end of the day.
Since my sister is five years older than me, she took care of me for the majority of the time my mom was at work and acted as a motherlike figure. We would be home alone a lot, so we adjusted to the circumstances. We made our own meals, picked out our own clothes, walked wherever we needed to go and entertained ourselves with movies and board games.
When my sister became a busy high school student, she couldn’t watch me, so I spend my time with my aunt and cousins. My aunt was basically my second mom. She would pick me up from school, get me food, buy me clothes and make me feel included. She nicknamed me her third child, and for that reason, I am very close to my cousins, as we all act like siblings.
Childhood was a period I loved and for which I am constantly nostalgic, but there were definitely some rocky points. For instance, there were times when I just wanted to go on vacations and have what all my friends and extended family had, but I know I couldn’t because my mom was constantly working. It did, however, make me cherish all the times when just the three of us could be together and go out.
As I grow older and more mature, I realize that everything happens for a reason. My life is now exactly what I wish for it to be, and that wouldn’t have been possible without my mom and how she raised me. She set high expectations for her children, so my sister and I strive to live up to them every day to make her proud. We try our hardest in school so we can get recognized with awards since our mom loves when that happens.
Childhood was a period I loved and for which I am constantly nostalgic, but there were definitely some rocky points.
Making my mom feel valued is something that my sister and I have always tried to do. When she was at work, I cleaned the house, and my sister cooked dinner so my mom didn’t have to worry about those tasks when she came home from a long day.
On Mother’s Day, we got up super early, lay out her presents and make her breakfast. It gave us joy to see how happy she was seeing my sister and me coming together just for her.
I am grateful for everything my mom has done for my sister and me. She is the hardest worker I know and I have so much admiration for her. On Mother’s Day–and every day–she deserves to be appreciated.
