Personal Story: Growing Up Without A Mother

Ever wonder what your life would be like if you lost one of your parents? Growing up with a single mother losing my mom was always my biggest fear. Although growing up without a father figure in my life was challenging, overall it made me a stronger, more independent woman. The reality of never having that “daddy 's girl” bond hit me strongly at the age of six when my sisters and I were forced to talk to a family court specialist. I recall walking into the courthouse surrounded by people dressed in fancy suits and carrying briefcases. As I sat in a chair waiting to be called back I picked at my nails trying not to think about the butterflies in my stomach and the crucial decision that was about to be made for me. I remember puddles

But this could not be further from the truth. Growing up, I have had a single Mom who struggled to make ends meet and provide the necessities for my two sisters and I, where as my friends have always had both parents in the picture and they did not have to worry about their monthly incomes. Without a father in the picture my family has always relied on each other for support, which I believe, has made us much closer than most families. Now that I am old enough to realize it, it is hard to believe that my mom always put my sisters and me first; making sure we had enough food and clothes while she continued to wear hand me downs. Claremont is known as “The City of Trees and PHD’s” and compared to my friends, whose parents are professors, surgeons, and scientists that can afford to do extra activities, my family’s lack of financial stability caused me to miss out on many of these activities that they were able to participate in such as school dances, spending days at amusement parks, and even things as simple as getting a new outfit for the first day of