Nothing wrong with substitute mom

by NADINE AGUIRRE, staff writer

 

I believe that it’s not wrong for a 19-month-old child to call another woman mommy.

I say this because I have a niece named Anaya, and this child means the world to me.

She is not mine physically, but she is mine at heart. If anything would to happen to my sister, Naomi, or my brother-in-law, Bobby, I would take her in without hesitation. 

This situation occurred when life was in doubt. My sister, who is 12 years older than me, became pregnant, and I am the type of person who is by her side through thick and thin times. My brother-in-law was in and out of her life, and he was immature himself, unable to handle the family that was coming his way. 

Therefore, someone had to step up to the plate and take responsibility of this child  who was coming into this crazy world. During this time, I was working in a small town, making minimum wage. I didn’t have much money, but whatever I had to offer, I would try to get the necessities. It wasn’t much, but it was the thought that counted.

When my niece was born on March, 21 2008, I was right by my sister’s side. I was with her the moment they both came home, until I started college. Naomi was in so much pain, from labor, she couldn’t do many things for herself, much less do many things for her child.

From the moment Anaya  awoke  until the moment she laid her head on the pillow, I was there. Therefore, this child relied on me, for cleaning, feeding, changing, and, of course, loving.

She is now walking, running, eating and talking here and there, and it has made me closer to her.

Anaya and I are inseparable. When I go home on the weekends, I have her until the moment I leave to return to Levelland.

At first, I was scared to start college.  I’m not going to lie about that. I didn’t want to leave her behind. I say this because I didn’t want her to forget about me, and the times that we shared. I also didn’t want to miss out on new things she was learning on a daily basis. I know this is crazy to say, but I consider this child mine.

Since I’m around Anaya constantly, she calls me Mommy. She would rather be with me than with her own biological mother. So I think I’m the next best thing that she has in her life.            

Some people think that as much as I’m with her, it’s wrong. They say it’s wrong for her to call me mommy.

It’s crazy how people are quick to judge others, and not judge themselves first. That shows how ignorant people can be. I don’t understand why this is an issue to people. They don’t open their eyes to different situations that occur throughout life. This situation that I’m in occurs frequently, but people don’t realize it.

In the end, I thank this little person for playing a major role in my life. She makes me a better person than who I was before.