When I was a kid I didn’t always realize that my sister and I were given very different things for our birthday or New Year’s Eve, in terms of importance and price. My parents always gave her something better, more expensive, more necessary, and me toys, since I am three years younger. And that never changed, whether I was seven or twelve. Always some nonsense, some coloring books, some markers, some shower gels with princesses. And Rebecca got her first phone when she was eight. Every year they changed it for her, but they didn’t even let me “wear out” the old one, thinking I was too young and irresponsible.
Rebecca was given nice fashionable clothes for the holidays, and I was given her things, and not always. And it wasn’t just my own parents who treated us that way, but my grandmother, who gave Rebecca money and me books called “How to Grow a Lady” or something like that. And my aunt from abroad sent Rebecca all the best things, including backpacks and bags, and I only got candy.
Everyone in my family somehow deprived me, thinking that since I was younger, I didn’t need anything yet.
The most frustrating thing is that now, when I’m twenty, my sister is treated the same way. My parents are running around because they want to fix up my grandmother’s old apartment-they want to give it to Rebecca for her birthday. Then she can move out of our house and become independent. It gets to the point where they demand a stipend from me, because I also have to want to give my sister a present. And I don’t want to. I’ll figure out what to get her myself. Why do I have to give the last of it to her apartment? I don’t think my parents would ever give me something like that. I’m sure they’ll just sign everything over to Rebecca, thinking I’ll get by somehow…
