immediate family
Blood makes you related, loyalty makes you family.
How A Bicycle Race Changed My Life
Honestly, I have led a very mild life in general. I've never really experienced what the world has to offer, as I've been fairly content with just staying in my little controlled and comfortable world. I've had the opportunity to experience some once in a lifetime events though:
By Matthew Bailey8 years ago in Families
Stand by Your Man. But Not Your Daughter
I grew up in a house where songs such as "Stand by Your Man," "Substitute," and "Jolene" were seen as containing valuable words of wisdom. They were played daily on one of our two cassette players- in the kitchen or in the car on the way to school. The message was clear: if you were lucky enough to "bag" a man—no matter what kind of man and by what means—then you must do anything to keep him. You might not love him, and he might not love you, but as long as you had one that was yours, nothing else mattered.
By HM Pattinson8 years ago in Families
Some Stuff You Just Don't Make Up
Today is one of those days. My head is congested and I feel a fever brewing in my chest. On top of my current health status, I have lost pretty much everything that holds you together as an adult. Well let's see—I got really behind on my rent payments so in August I moved back in with my mom. Ugh, yes. See our relationship is not the greatest (story for another day). And last night, I woke up to my Jeep, (that I was super proud of myself for being able to get almost two years ago) honking the alarm in the distance as I realized it was getting repo'd. It's the end of the month, and my sales haven't been the greatest for November. And those damn NSF fees keep taking my money and the commissions don't pay out quick enough. All around yes, it is a shitty situation.
By SanJuanita Escobar8 years ago in Families
Spending the Holidays Without Your Parents
I’ve been holiday-crazy since I can remember. It didn’t matter which one—Christmas was my favorite holiday, just like Halloween was my favorite, just like Thanksgiving, Easter, New Years, my birthday. I reveled in the overwhelming joy at Christmas, the excitement of Halloween, the hearty appreciation during Thanksgiving. Conversations got deeper, people got sappier. It was an excuse to love people loudly and without reserve.
By Kye Earley8 years ago in Families
The Never Ending Norm
SLAM! The door downstairs literally shook the house, and then I knew… my aunt was pissed off about something. That was just how you knew she was in a bad mood, when doors started slamming in the house, or how you could hear the groan she gives every time she saw how the cat destroyed the house again, or in this case, the constant, normal arguing on the phone with my cousin or just arguing in general whenever they saw each other's happy faces.
By Victoria Vargas8 years ago in Families
Losing Sight
My mom wasn’t around much when I was a little girl because she was always working. She picked me up from school, dropped me off at home, and went to work until 2 AM. Because of this, I spent most of my time with my father, and we had a great time. He didn’t cook much so dinners usually consisted of frozen food that was easy to heat up and we never complained. I have very vague memories of play-wrestling with him in our living room and asking him about his collection of Tonka trucks. More prominent memories of my father revolve around one thing: his temper. Nonetheless, I was very close to my father as a child.
By Melina Smith8 years ago in Families
Being a Child Carer
All over the world, there are kids who have taken on the responsibility of looking after their ill parents. There are even some children looking after their siblings. Making sure they eat, bathe, and go to school. Some people think it's crazy, others understand, and some people think it shouldn't be allowed. However this isn't a post about whether it is right or wrong. This is just about my experience as a child carer and its effects.
By Denilia Blue8 years ago in Families
A Culture Like No Other
Amazing food, strong families, and having a great fear of a chancla wielding mother when you did something wrong. Latino culture is one unlike any other; the music, the language, and the people are so unique and vibrant it's no wonder that "Despacito" got so popular. Now for those who do not know much about Latino culture, let me tell you there's way more to it than telenovelas, tacos, and Daddy Yankee. When you are referring to someone of Latin descent, you are referring to someone who was born or comes from parents born in Central America or South America, also including the Carribean islands like Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
By Lauren Gonzalez8 years ago in Families
Being Thankful for Family
With the holidays coming up, a lot of us are thinking about family. We're either thinking about how much we're dreading spending so much fucking time together, or trying to remember how thankful we are to just have them, or maybe we're thinking about the family we used to have and wishing with everything that even for this one little holiday, we had that back. In whatever form, most of us are thinking about family. With Thanksgiving coming up, we are reminded to be thankful for what we have and who we have.
By Michelle Schultz8 years ago in Families
The Wind Chimes
My mother was quite possibly the most eccentric woman you would ever meet. She had long, curly hair, the same color as the warm orange leaves during fall. She was a short woman, but she had the confidence of someone ten feet tall. When someone looked into her deep emerald eyes, they would immediately feel accepted and loved. She was feisty, and would be the first one to tell you where the door was should you have chosen to say some unwise words in her presence.
By Danielle Hintz8 years ago in Families
Why I Stopped Talking to My Family
I always thought that I would be part of my family. I pictured going to my father's home and bringing my children over to visit with their grandfather. I pictured holidays together and spending time with my siblings and sharing memories. I always knew that my family was not very healthy. There was plenty of dysfunction to go around, and as the oldest child I was able to witness most of it. I thought for the most part that my family maybe didn't exactly like me, but they loved me. I was completely wrong. It took me many many years to realize that I was the scapegoat in my family and that the role would follow me forever. I was always blamed for things that didn't even have anything to do with me. I was punished more severely, made to feel not good enough always, and I was never praised or recognized for any accomplishment I achieved. I made every effort to make my parents and siblings see I was a good person and I deserved their love. I was always given a taste of love but never the full meal. I was always used for any money I brought in from any job I had. I was made to take care of my younger siblings and take care of my mother. I took care of the household and did everything I could to show my family how much I loved them. Sure, I was not perfect but I didn't deserve the harsh realities of being the scapegoat. When I started researching narcissistic families my whole life became so crystal clear. I finally understood that I was not the problem and that I was worthy of love. I knew that I needed to be a bit more cautious of my family. I never thought that the bitterness they held for me was so great that they would decided to try and ruin my life. It came as a complete and total shock. I must explain some back story to you before I go any further. I was so very saddened by how my family acted towards me and as a young teen I didn't understand. I dabbled in some drug use and ended up in a very harmful and abusive relationship. I managed to get my life together when I became pregnant with my daughter. I was so happy to have her that I wanted and would always vow to be the best mother to her. I had a hard time still with depression and I went to therapy. I was blessed with 2 more beautiful children; my boys a few years later. I love and treasure my kids. My kids are what I live for, and I strive and work very hard for them to have the best possible childhood they can have. I have been what I would consider a mother I wished I would have had. I never want my kids to feel how I did. I am happy and love life. Well, my family couldn't stand to see me happy with a man I love and my kids. They needed to put me down as they had done all the years prior. I was not allowed to feel happiness. How dare I? My sick family knew that my weakness and fear was not being with my children. They plotted and in such a sick way used abuse by proxy to involve my aunt in a false allegation smear campaign against me. They tried to put absurd false allegations against me with founded no proof. I was amazed at how sick they could be. The hurt and betrayal made me sick for days. I was never so angry at the pain they tried to cause me. I knew then that these people did not at all have my best interest at heart. I knew they wanted to see me fail and be so unhappy. I knew I could never look them in the face after what they did to try and ruin me. I know that it may not seem like such a big betrayal to some, but you have to understand how sneaky and deceiving this was and how completely unjustified this was. It came from nowhere and to this day I can't get over why they would do such a cruel thing. I of course tried to defend my honor while they tried to somehow make me look crazy. I knew I had to stop feeding into the craziness they created and the drama they lived for. I never wanted to be a part of that family ever again. I did not receive anything good from a relationship with them. I knew I would never be able to trust them and I knew how toxic it would be to have my babies around them. I had to go 'no contact' with them and I had to do it now. My family is my world, I would be damned if they would try and take that from me. I needed to see how evil they were, how much they did not care about me or my kids. It was finally the push I needed to stop the abuse. I have officially been no contact with the family for almost 3 months now and it still is hard sometimes. I sit and hope to see them realize they were wrong and come apologizing to me. But that is just a fantasy and I realize that is never going to be. I wouldn't let them back into my life now. I have grown so much stronger and learned so much about myself during this time. I am not going to lie. Sometimes I feel all alone. I feel a feeling of homesickness, like I don't have a family. I feel orphaned. But then I realize that I am so blessed to see them for what they are and stop the abuse. I am blessed to have found my own way and have my family. I will never understand the cruel ways of my narcissistic family but I will know that they will go to no length to try and hurt you. Education against individuals who have narcissism is the best weapon that you can hold against them. You learn the tactics they use to bring you down and you can then see who is not for you and toxic. I hope that by sharing just this one instance of the abuse I suffered, will help someone who is going through a similar experience. You have the strength to remove yourself from your family if they are doing things to hurt you. No one deserves to be put down and treated in such an abusive way. You owe your family nothing and when you walk away you begin to heal and it is so peaceful to know that it wasn't you that was the problem, instead it was them..
By Ash astrid8 years ago in Families
