What if you were the man of your house? I’m seventeen, Caucasian, born and raised in hometown, and my birthdays August twenty first. I am very hardworking and self sufficient. I try to do everything on my own, with no help if possible. That’s just how I was raised and I turned out for the better than I probably would have if I was a momma’s boy.

As a child I’ve always needed to do things on my own. When I was younger I remember my dad always telling me to come outside, just so he could teach me how to do the daily things around the house easier, or completely teach me if I don’t know how. He taught me how to mow my lawn, fix my deck, or do simple things around or inside my house. He also helped teach me how to repair a mountain bike, and BMX bikes. Also I remember my mother always telling me to cook my own breakfast, clean my own clothes, or clean my own room, all because she said “ Your getting to old Brandon, you have to start doing things on your own.” Even though I was about 8, most things that people wouldn’t trust me doing, I could do with ease. With more success than anyone else my age. Anyways I learned to survive on my own over time. I didn’t need help from my parents after my tenth birthday. Many real-day activities I accomplish are all because my parents taught me how to accomplish them correctly. They’ve taught me everything I know today, and that’s something I can appreciate. From all of this I started to learn to put a lot of effort into my work.

Being an only child in my house has put a lot of stress on me over the years. I had no siblings that lived with me so I was basically alone. I had nobody to talk to, or tell my secrets to. Over the years I’ve been forced to do petty, stupid chores that added up over time. Eventually I was doing things from sweeping the driveway, to as little as emptying garbage cans all over the house. As the years continued my mother had gotten breast cancer. One of the first things she told me was “ Boo, you’re the man of the house now, while I’m gone you’ll have to take care of the house with your father, especially when he is in the hospital with me.” This made me realize what has really been put on my shoulders; I realized I was not her little boy anymore. She thought of me as her “Guardian Angel.” So I basically did everything in my power until she beat the cancer and returned home where she belongs. That’s the moment I realized I was going to have to grow up or else everything would fall apart.

I am good for this school because of my learning’s in life. I try to do everything on my own, with no help if that’s possible. That’s just how I was raised, and what happened in life. Everything turned out for the better. I’ve learned how to do hard work, and have learned to become self sufficient. What makes me different from everyone else is the fact I rarely need help in understanding something; I’ve taught myself how to do most things. I’ve learned a lot from my childhood life, and it’s turned me into a better, smarter, hard-working person.