My family consists of a total of nine people, so I grew up with a lot of chaos and craziness. Even doing simple chores and tasks can be chaotic. On top of this, my siblings and I argue enough for every simple thing to be organized and thought out.
One thing that we do is have an order for when we get to eat. It may seem over-the-top, but honestly it is really nice to have a system even if it is something as simple as meals. Every Sunday after church, we have an order for who eats lunch first. It makes it easier so the kitchen is not congested with kids trying to find food to eat.
Order is a big thing that matters in my household because the ages between us are so close. Next school year, I will have a sibling in each grade in the high school. Having siblings this close is something I see as a good thing. Going through middle and currently high school knowing I have a sister or brother to walk with between classes and to talk to is so much fun. In addition, having a sibling in the same school reminds me that I have someone who has my back and I have theirs. I am also fairly nosy, so if my junior sister Ayona or freshman sister Yaminah won’t tell me things, I can figure it out since we go to the same school. I love staying close with my siblings, and having them in the same school makes it harder for us to grow apart.
One difficult thing about being in a big family is balance. All of my siblings do at least one sport including track, basketball, and football. Outside of school, we do multiple different activities. Due to this, there are times I am not able to do simple things or my siblings are not able to do things due to how much we do.
One example is literally the existence of this month. Basketball has pretty much taken over our household. Every Thursday my two younger sisters, Olesiya and Emaia, who are in 4th and 6th grade, have practice back-to-back in North Canton from 7pm to 9pm with games on the weekend. On top of that, I play high school basketball which is demanding with practice everyday and games throughout the week. Even my younger brother Uziah, who is in eighth grade, has had open gyms. Even adding an extra little thing to our schedule can create overlap. It is surprising that my parents have not forgotten us yet.
Because of this, I have had to learn time management and get used to not always getting what I want. With smaller families, if you want to do something simple like go out to eat or hang out with friends, last minute things do not change their schedule too much unless they have a lot happening. If it’s a last minute plan, I most likely can not do it. I have to plan it out, ask my parents, text my parents, and maybe thenーdepending on what is happeningーI will be able to go.
Being one of the oldest, I act like a parent sometimes. This is why I like to take leadership positions and control things. I have learned to be a babysitter at a young age, and learn different ways to keep kids in good behavior.
Additionally, I have to share a room with Ayona and Yaminah. Sharing is something that most large families are acquainted with. Room sharing is definitely something that creates unrest. There are multiple occasions when I want the room to myself, and I can not. If I would want to facetime someone, there is always a chance my sisters are in the background or them barging through the door. There are many arguments about our room. One of the many phrases that are said during these situations is, “It’s my room too!”
I have definitely grown as a person being part of a big family. I have had to learn things the hard way, and find different ways to do things; however, being in a large family has many perks too.
Everyday is always eventful and I know by the time I grow old, I will have many fun stories to tell. Even now, there are so many stories and fun memories I have with my siblings that makes me so glad I’m part of a big family.