Why I Help My Younger Sibling With Her School Work

My younger sister Alba is in elementary school. Last year was the first year in which she had to actually study and take on more responsibilities in school. My parents didn’t speak English well, so I was the one to help her to study and do her homework. I like teaching; it’s something that I enjoy doing so I did not mind helping Alba with her schoolwork. Even if I had a test to study for, I still made room in my schedule to help her study for her tests. I felt that it was my duty as an older sister. However, when my older cousins would come over, Alba would ask them to help her with her schoolwork. I know my sister loves me, but I would still feel worthless and useless. By her going to other people for help, I would assume that my help was a thing of last resort. It is true that I cannot always be there for my sister. In a way it is wrong of me to have my sister accustomed to me helping her because next year I will be in college, miles and miles away. Then what? I cannot help her then. Sometimes, I cannot even help her now. There were days when I was overwhelmed with schoolwork that when Alba would ask me to help her study I would refuse to help. As I studied, I would hear my sister cry and I would feel terrible about myself. It made me feel unreliable. My role as a caretaker was not being fulfilled; the person I loved most was let down because I took her trust in me and abused it. Once more, I would put my own schoolwork down and help Alba with her schoolwork. I guess the reason why I would get so touched by Alba’s reactions is because I never had someone that could always help me. When I was young, we moved to America and my parent’s did not speak a single word of English. Their inability to speak English meant that I was on my own for anything school related. Every young child has parents to help them with their schoolwork. I was not fortunate enough to have that. I had my parents and family who loved me dearly, but to me they had no worth. My family would