"I Had To Be A 'Little Mother' At A Young Age": Women Are Sharing The Difficult Truths About Growing Up As The Oldest Daughter, And How It Still Affects Them

We grew up in extreme poverty, and I took care of my brothers from the age of 10. My youngest brother still refers to me as his 'second mom,' and he's 35 now. We went without so much, and I was parentified and responsible for way too much way too soon. I became a parent myself when I was very young, but I was motivated to give my children a better life. They struggle with poverty, addiction, and housing instability to this day, and they only call me when they need money.