Personal Narrative: An Interview With A Mother

Since I was a kid, I had a ton of responsibilities, cleaning up after myself, doing chores, managing to not fight with my brother, although we fought all day everyday, but you know, it happens. One thing that I didn't know wasn't normal was parenting your parent. I go to school do all my class work and during recess and lunch I listened to all the other kids talk about going to the park after school and eating dinner together with their parents. When I got home from school, I had to do my homework and then take care of my mother. Bring her things she needed such as food, water, help her with many other simple everyday activities. Of course I wasn't the only one who was her “little helper” as she put it, my dad helped her and my older brother by two years,

On November 17,1989 my mother Juanita Renea Ohlinger went into labor at 6:00 A.M. she was in labor for 12hrs. She laid there in so much pain at Providence hospital until Dr. Kendal Foster showed up and told her she had to have a C-section because her pelvis would not expand. The nurse hooked my mother up to monitors and willed her to the operating room, my father Raymond F Smith was dressed in hospital operating clothes. Dr. Foster began to open my mother’s womb and pulled me out at 5:25 pm.

I'm trying to recall the people I met last night.  Please help to remember them.

My family has lived in Ohio all our lives, but we decided to move, along with my friend and her family. We moved to Oakland, California when I was thirteen. I, Madison Gayle Harrington, and My Friend, Miley Ann McNeally, Have Been making YouTube videos ever since we were sixteen. I have two older sisters, Hailey who is twenty two and Angelica who is twenty and one older brother, William who is twenty one, who I don't see. I'm in my senior year of high school. I'm seventeen turning eighteen.

I was born January 9, 2003 at 11:44 P.M. I was born at the Mason City hospital and my mom, dad, and family was there. My dad was the only one in the room while I was being born. My grandpa was with all of my older siblings in the waiting room. When I was a baby I would only suck my thumb. I sucked my thumb until I was about six or seven, and I would never suck my thumb in public. I was the only one out of four who sucked my thumb. My brothers Gaige and Nikolas had a pacifier. My sister Lily also had a pacifier and I sucked my thumb.

In 2001, when I first became a mother, I had no idea what I was doing. I just prayed that I wouldn't break her! She was so tiny (2.8) and quite frankly I was terrified! But I LOVED that tiny little baby girl so much and knew that I didn't only have to be a mom but I had to fight for her. Sickness was not going to defeat us!

“Push, push, push! You almost got it.” I could remember like it was yesterday popping out a new born baby and seeing what happens next. My son came into this world with being a crybaby and spoiled as by his grandmother. My son became a big part in my life: Thinking about him before I think about someone else. Becoming a beautiful mother with grey hairs arriving before I met my mid-twenties. Even going to the laundromat because we had so many clothes we had to make two trips. Maybe being a first-time mother it's more to think about and deciding if it's the right thing to do. Becoming a mother wasn't easy, I wanted my son to have the world so, I made my decision of trying to be the best parent every for my son and that's when he became a mommy’s boy.

My parenting style did not vary that much, I still provide Ayan with resources and with the support that she requires to thrive and develop. Aryan is 10yrs old now, and she can express herself clearly, So I try to realize her strength to show her how far she come. For example, Ayan is continuing to be a strong reader, and always seems to have a fiction book she is understanding. Thus, I encourage her by reading the same books as Aryan, and converse about some of funnier or more interesting in the book. I also try to see an Ayan’s weakest point so I can pull her up. For example, Music is the solitary thing that Aryan has a difficult time with. I do encourage Ayan to explore other Music, thinking that she may perform better at others. This

Being a new mother was a learning experience; even before my daughter was born I was already learning to be a mother. I instantly began to protect my unborn child by not doing certain things that I felt would put my daughter at risk, like lifting heavy objects or stressing. Becoming a mother was a blessing not every woman gets to experience pregnancy. Motherhood changed me to a different person. I felt like a mother already.

I once believed teaching was the least gratified, but most important career until I remembered motherhood which is more arduous yet less appreciated than any other job. Mothers serve for at least eighteen years, everyday, sunup and far past sundown, without sick days, and arguably no pay. My mother, Manola Jean-Mary having eleven children has done the impossible for twenty-two years with seventeen more to go. There has been countless opportunities missed, many decisions questioned, even hospitalization because of the side effects of stress, however with no regrets she continues to do her absolute best for every one of us. A dissertation could be written about her strength, hardships, and how she has prevailed, but this essay only briefly explains my mother as my source of inspiration. I reached a point where I lost all motivation, any urge to accomplish anything. I was convinced that everything I did was unsatisfactory, that my role in this world, and my efforts were unimpactful,

I am water cold and awful, false in demeanour disguised as calm and pleasant waiting to drown you, suffocate you, force the last breath out of your lungs. I see her across the road her red scarf blowing aimlessly in the wind. I focus on it imagining that same red pouring out of her cut pale throat instead of hanging from her body. I like breaking pretty things dismembering, fracturing. There is a certain beauty to their suffering as the last breath leaves them I am in control.

Me and my mom were debating an the beach or a movie i decided. We are going to the beach. on a sunday.

Mama always had a love-hate relationship with my hair. If she was around me all the time, she’d comb and gel my black curly hair into an unpredictable shape, whatever she wanted. It almost always became a frizzy, tangled mess. I never liked her hair styling but I finally learned not to argue with Mama. I liked my hair like I like my food: simple. No need to add anything, or spend more money. My mama didn’t see it like that.

Tomorrow marks the day, five years ago, when I turned from a couple to single, when the ‘Mrs’ was deleted from my name officially and when I had to fill up forms, I had to tick the “widow” slot. Funnily there were no ‘widower’ slots!

Growing up living with my mother, she was always my number one supporter. While having me at a young age, she had to grow up fast and take on the responsibility of having a child. She went to Dorsey College instead of going to a University, which was her dream. My father has been in and out my life since the day I was born. He never and still hasn't owned up to his responsibility of having a child. To me, that was fine; my mother was the only person I needed in life to get me through every day. My mother was there for me when I took my first steps, said my first word, and even when my teacher realized I needed more help in school than others. It only took a long time for me when it came to doing English work. Being young, it was easy to get