The changes in my views at sixteen

“ My heart is empty. ” My mother said. As I rubbed my ear against the wooden door of my parents bedroom, I heard them arguing. I heard my mom crying saying, “ I do this for the kids, all my life I depended on them. ” Sixteen is a very critical age. It is the year where one has to start getting ready for college and deciding what they want to do. When I was sixteen, this is what should have been on my mind as well but instead, I spent most of my time in situations like the one described above. Sophomore year was particularly challenging for me because I struggled to stay focused on school work due to the new found responsibilities my family placed on me as my parents were experiencing a divorce.

Realizing that my parents getting divorced was an option, I knew it would mean that I had to take on a big responsibility to help provide and take care of my three younger siblings. Being the oldest out of four, I had to show leadership. In order for me to take responsibility I dropped of my little sisters to the babysitter every morning and then headed to school. I mostly took care of them since my parents were emotionally drained. I took them to the park and played with them and then I took them to the dollar store to buy them a toy or a snack. I would read them bedtime stories until they fell asleep. This impacted me drastically because at a young age you don’t expect things being thrown at you all at once. This situation took a lot of time of volleyball and meetings I had to attend after school. I wouldn’t go to my practices all the time because I was tired and drained with a lot of school work that I mostly didn’t understand. Beginning of my junior year my parents bought tickets to go to Ecuador. The reason they went was to talk it out with family because in my culture divorce is a serious thing. Afterwards, they came back and worked out their relationship. After they resolved their situation I started going to extra help and started getting back on track. Our lives had changed drastically. I have become more mature, independent, responsible, and showed leadership to my younger siblings. I’ve been more focused and interested in achieving in school and volleyball.

When I was first told about my parents almost getting a divorce, my grades dropped, my level of volleyball went down, and I was dispirited. Senior year began, and I wasn’t going to let anything happen from getting into the college I want to get into. I went to the gym once in a while so my volleyball skills would be better than my previous level. I studied, kept my grades up and got into the National Art Honor Society. My whole life turned around because not only did I want success for myself, but to my parents as well.