There’s a moment that still haunts me — lying in a hospital bed, exhausted and scared, after an emergency C-section. My son, Theo, was safe, but I was recovering alone. No one by my side. No one to hold my hand. No one to watch my baby while I tried to heal.
I had asked my parents — my own parents — if they could come stay with me for a few days. Just until I got back on my feet. I wasn’t asking for much — just a little help, like so many new moms get. But they said no.
They had plans. They were busy. They couldn’t just “drop everything.”
But a few months later, when my sister gave birth — her first child — they immediately rearranged their lives . They canceled trips, cleared their schedules, and moved into her house full-time to help her adjust.
And I couldn’t help but wonder: Why not me?
Growing Up in the Shadow of a Younger Sister
