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Had a full-time caregiver, Eileen
When I was two years old, I had a full-time caregiver named Eileen. She was a family friend and would watch me while both of my parents were at work. Her house practically became my home and I thought of her as a second mother when I was young. She always kept me busy whether it was with drawing, reading, writing, or playing games. This affected me throughout my later development because she taught me to be caring and I was in an emotionally healthy environment. I looked up to her a lot. -
Little sister Allison was born
My younger sister was born when I was two years old. This affected me in a major way because I was used to getting a lot of attention from my parents and being the youngest child was something I was used to. She began to gain a lot of attention and I never wanted to play with her because I was always jealous of the attention she was getting. As we got older, we became better friends and I learned to accept that I was the middle child. -
Parents got divorced
When I was four years old my parents got divorced. This was probably the most painful thing that happened to me as I was growing up. I was forced to live at two different houses in two different cities. My dad would only get to have us during the summer time, so I spent most of my time with my mom. I became much closer and a "momma's girl" because I was always there. I felt as if I didn't know my dad that well because he was usually working in a different state. -
Started Kindergarten
My Kindergarten teacher was such a big influence in my life. She showed me that reading is fun and exciting. She was the person who influenced me to begin reading by myself. When she would do read alouds, she would use silly voices to capture the character's emotions and I thought it was so entertaining. I realized, then, that I wanted to become a Kindergarten teacher myself. -
Stepdad
My mom re-married to a man named Jerry. I was uncomfortable with it for a long time because he wasn't my father. He was very different than my dad and living with him included having many strict rules. We never really became close, so this affected me by not being able to open up emotionally to him. This made me realize that I do not want to re-marry in the future because of the emotions that my children might have. -
Began dance class
When I was seven years old my parents signed me up for dance class. It was a way for me to express myself through movement. Being in these classes helped me become more social and I later became outgoing because of dance. -
Started my first job
In high school, I began working at Hollister which was a retail store. Having a job and paying for my own things made me not rely on my parents for money. It made me realize the value of a dollar and how it important it is to save. Having a job also influenced my mentality because I became a hard-working person from then on. -
Graduated High School
When I graduated high school, it was a huge deal for me. My family showed support and that they were so proud of me. The second I graduated, I began to think about my future. It was a huge step in life for me and also my first step in adulthood. I began my journey on my own from there, and became an independent person. -
Enrolled at ASU
Once I began my first semer at Arizona State, I started my life on my own. I quickly learned to become self-reliant and it molded me into being an independent person. I lived in the dorms by myself and made new friends. I joined a sorority and learned that I had a lot of girls that were there emotionally for me.
