What led to my wanting fewer and more siblings?

Siblings are one of the best parts of our childhood and life generally; they're a big part of our lives that we so much admire, even though they can be dramatic at one point or another, so it's normal to have once wished we had fewer or more siblings due to one happening or another. Funny enough, I've been in both shoes before, and I'll love to share my story with you all.

I grew up with my grandparents and my dad's junior siblings, who have grown up as well, and one thing about being the youngest child in the house is that you'll be expected to do most of the house chores and several other activities alone. This can be ambiguous for a young child, and I guess that's one of the reasons I wish I had more siblings who stayed with my grandparents.

Although my dad gave back to five children, which means it isn't like I don't have siblings, like I said, I was the only child among the five of my father's children sent to stay with my grandparents, and this kind of makes me go through rigorous activities, such as all the house chores and running errands for each and every junior sibling of my dad who still stays with my grandparents.

I barely have time to breathe and usually go from one errand to another, which usually leaves me exhausted at the end of each day, and that made me regularly wish I'd had more siblings or a young child like me who stays with my grandparents with whom we can share the house chores between us, though there was a girl that was about my age who also stayed with us then, but they hardly gave her any tasks because to them she's a girl and shouldn't be stressed out.

Did I survive?: I wasn't about to survive these particular stressful activities and chores until I completed my senior secondary school leaving certificate examination and left for my parents place to complete my education at the university. I can bet that had I not left, then I'd still be the only one going through all those rigorous tasks because none of my dad's other siblings were Willing to let their child come stay with my grandparents parents like my dad did with me.

Another experience that made me wish I had fewer siblings was fast-forwarding several years after the first incident I narrated above. This time around, I've now moved back to staying with my parents and get to stay with all my siblings, but it's very disheartening when I go to my dad to tell him about my needs and he starts giving me excuses of how he spends a lot on my other siblings and doesn't have enough to meet my needs at such a moment.

Such a statement usually annoys me, and I can remember even grubbing about who asked him to give birth to so many kids, saying that had he given birth to fewer, then we wouldn't be going through such a problem. It's funny how I thought then; now, I understand better and can't remember blaming him, but I know that I decided not to give birth to so many children, so it won't get to a point where I won't be able to cater for their needs as it ought to be.

The same thought of wishing I had fewer siblings also occurs most times when our meals are served and I see the small portion of food I'm supposed to eat. Had I grown up with them, I might have been accustomed to such, but I grew up with my grandparents, who usually serve me a large portion of meal, so getting a very small portion at my parents place usually makes me wish I had fewer siblings, because according to me, if we weren't much, then a larger portion would have gone round for all of us.

How did I get past this?: For this second experience of wishing I had fewer siblings, I realize it all comes down to not having enough money to cater for everyone, so I personally resonate with sorting for a means to earn some penny myself, and after induging in some activities like laboring and cutting grass, I was able to earn some money, which I then used to cater for my needs and ease the burden on my dad.

https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/vickoly/23t76oRc3zjSnyfgC6F2V79yxUuq7CDvbvCH72sfweFTqZLzbJH6hBHqwKC3TkJ7GPGAs.png

That's about all I can say about my experience of wishing I had fewer and more siblings, which happens at different stages of my life. It was written in response to the hive learners community features prompt.

Thanks for your time, have a wonderful weekend ahead.