11. Leaving the Nest

Since being at school, I've noticed some changes in the relationships with the people in my family. I think that not living with them has done some good things for our relationships. I remember that before I came to school, my relationships with my mom, dad, and sister were sort of strained. Everyone in my family is sort of independent and so when we would be at home, we would usually all do our own thing and leave each other to their own thing. Dinner and an occasional movie or game would bring us all together. since my parents are divorced and my sister and I would rotate betwen houses, things were even more strained.

Over the summer, I stopped going to my dad's house because our church, my friends, my job, and everything else that my life revolved around were a lot closer to my mom's house. I just stayed there because it was closer and easier. I still saw him regularly, but I didn't spend as much time with him seeing as how I wasn't living with him. Since going to school, we have a lot more to talk about. I love getting to call him and tell him about what's going on at school and if I didn't know any better I'd think that he loves calling me to give me speeches about the economy and how I need to do a better job at managing money. It's like we have more to talk about now than when i was living there.

My sister and I are getting along a lot better too. We used to fight a lot but we don't as much anymore. And, for some reason, she seems to trust me more than she did before. She's 15 and in 10th grade so there are a lot of things i've been through that she's just now goin through. She asks me for advice and even seems to like hanging out with me now. Before she would just shut herself up in her room and do her own thing. Now I can't get her away from me!

My mom and I seem to get along better too. She was always scolding me for not helping out around the house enough, but now when i come home, I actually enjoy helping out. I'm not there a lot so I like to do what I can while I am. I think this helps our relationship because she doesn't feel as overwhelmed with having to do everything by herself. I even enjoy going on regular shopping trips with her. I guess it's because we don't get to see each other as much.

All in all, going off to school has really helped my relationships with my family. It's so much easier to be around them now that I'm not around them all the time. I look forward to coming home and seeing them!