When I was born, my mom was married to my dad. Technically speaking, he is my step-dad. So, since the day I was born until they got a divorce, I thought I was Puerto Rican and Cambodian. I was either 10 or 11 when they told me I was Black and Cambodian. My mom, siblings, and I moved to Yonkers after their divorce. It was tough on my mom since she’s a single mom providing for three kids and herself. With no man in the house, I was forced to grow up earlier than I should have. A few years later, we moved in with my grandmother, my mom’s mother. Life got a bit easier since my mom had some type of help. I tried to help my mother in any way possible, but I knew it wasn’t enough. We ended up moving out of my grandmother’s apartment and moved into an apartment across the street. I was in freshman year of high school at the time. Unfortunately, things got harder for us. My mom was pregnant with another baby and I had just started my sophomore year when I found out. I wasn’t too happy with this annoucement because we was going through a tough time. My mom and I got into an argument over the phone while I was walking home from school and I had said something so messed up. I said to my mom, “Why have another baby knowing that we’re not financially stable?” It took me awhile to realize what I said. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. She is dealing with a lot,” I thought to myself. Growing up with a single mother isn’t an easy task, it’s doable, but not easy. Today, I gave up my social life so my mom can work overtime and make her money. With the mindset of an adult, I now understand what my mom was going though. For those of you with a single parent, appreciate everything that they do because at the end of the day, they are doing things for your sake.