My sister, who is a 32-year-old single mom to my Bullhead, had to make one of the most difficult decisions of her life yesterday. For those of you who don’t know, her babydaddy is a L-O-S-E-R. He has given her very little financial or emotional support throughout her pregnancy and the last three years his beautiful, innocent son has lived on this earth. My sister has sacrificed many opportunities to advance at her job, and she has refused to become a victim of the system by not becoming a receipient of the “Louisiana Gold Card” when she more than qualified. Her pride (and the way we were raised) has kept her honest and hardworking when she could easily have become lazy and greedy. She has never asked my parents for any financial assistance, only the occasional babysitting service. Not once has she left her son with a babysitter to party with her friends. Hell, she even brought him to Las Vegas with her last summer. She feels guilty when she sleeps in past 7 a.m. and refuses to send Bullhead to day care even when she has the infrequent day off during the week. I could list her sacrifices line after line, but we all know what parents will do for their children. My sister and my parents have done the unthinkable as of yesterday.
My sister was offered a “stupid-to-pass-up-opportunity-of-a-lifetime-offer” by her company last week. They will pay her to go to school full-time over the next 6 months to finish training that would take her 1.5 to 2 years if she continued to work in her current position. She will take a sizeable cut in pay to do this and as a single mom you can imagine her frustration and hesitation. However, she swallowed her pride and approached my parents for financial assistance to meet all of her obligations and provide for her son in the same manner she has been doing without their help for three years now. They compromised and have agreed to the following:
1. My sister will move back in with my parents for the next six months and put most of her stuff in storage. OUCH!
2. My parents will take Bullhead to day care and pick him up daily and pay for this expense as well.
3. My parents will feed them during the week. My sister will cook and clean on weekends.
4. My sister will finish this project and receive the $12,000/year raise she NEEDS with no financial obligation to my parents.
5. My parents will get to know Bullhead a little better, and Bullhead will learn that his Ta and Pa love him and his mother to the sky.
I remember when my sister moved an hour away to live with me 14 years ago and said “I will NEVER live with Mom and Dad again.” Well, the times they are a’changin … never say never, Little Sister.
She will be moving back in with them on Sunday. Watch this space for further developments on the home front. Hurricane Sybil is gaining strength for my sister’s arrival and may claim territory at any time. (Yes, Sybil is our name for our mother, but that is another entry for another day.)
Well…..as they say the ends justify the means. Having met the adorable Bullhead and little sis, I can say that the sacrifices ALL of them are making will be well worth it in the end……….