Growing Up With Deaf Parents

Near the end of my eighth-grade year I promised my mother, I would try hard to earn good grades and do well in high school. I made this promise because I knew she wanted my life to be more than anyone in her family had ever been able to achieve. At first, I did not try hard academically because I was afraid to fail or look unintelligent. When my mother passed away in March of 2014, I decided to honor the promise I made her and take school seriously. My freshman year I pushed myself above and beyond and ended up getting a 4.0 GPA, which I had not done before. I also got out of my comfort zone and joined volleyball. Living up to the promise I made to my mother helped me realize I like to learn. I took everything seriously and became the person I never thought I would become. I ended up taking this motivation all the way through high school and became extremely proud of the hard work I put in.

Growing up with a deaf mother helped develop my skill of being a good listener. I naturally listen intently to my friends and family members. Although my mother was deaf, she knew how to express her emotions, but she struggled communicating with people who did not understand sign language. This made me more communicative with others while growing up. This is because I was fluent in both sign language and English from an early age. I learned I enjoy

It allows me to understand a situation and allows me to be there for someone in the way they most need. I am extremely glad to have been raised with a deaf mother because it has allowed me to read people's body language and understand how they feel even when no words are spoken. This skill allows me to expand my career interest because my plan is to become a lawyer and I need to be able to read people to be successful. Being a good listener has helped me in many ways throughout my life, such as helping my suicidal friend and my mentees with their struggles of everyday