Hi, sorry if this upload was a bit late tha  usual. I was too occupied with school work so I barely had time to really update anything here in Wattpad.

Anyways, this year has been going really well for me so far. I had the most growth in Wattpad this year. I literally earned almost a 100 new followers in just the span of one month.

Thank you to all the new followers that randomly just followed or genuinely followed to keep up with my updates, really means a lot to me.

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Welcome to Chapter 5 : Family!

I seriously have no idea what would happen to me if I never had mine. Of course, family could be a touchy and sensitive topic since not everyone is not fortunate to grow up in a nice and complete family. We don't get to choose our family but we can always change and grow as a family.

Family is a really important subject for me and I genuinely want to know if people can relate to my conflicts and joys of family.

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1 ▪︎ Do you have a biological family?

Yes, all members in my immediate family are related to me by blood and all of them are alive.

2 ▪︎ How many people are in your (immediate) family?

We are four in the family, including me.

3 ▪︎ How often is your family together?

My mother, sister and I are always together. My father comes visit every once in a while.

4 ▪︎ Do you live in a nuclear family or an extended family? (Nuclear family is the mother, father and child in one household. Extended family extends beyond the nuclear family so grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc, live in one household)

I live in a nuclear family.

5 ▪︎ How big is your family (including relatives)?

We are a lot in both my father and mother's side of the family.

6 ▪︎ How old are your parents?

As of February 23, 2020, my father is 51 and my mother is 48 years old.

7 ▪︎ How old are your grandparents?

Father's side: my grandfather is 80 and my grandmother is 75.

Mother's side: my grandfather unfortunately died and my grandmother is 70.

8 ▪︎ How many brothers and sisters do you have? What are their ages?

I only have one sister and she is currently 16.

9 ▪︎ Are you the oldest among your brothers and sisters if you have any?

Yes, I am the oldest child which is sometimes a pain in my ass.

10 ▪︎ How many aunts and uncles do you have?

Father's side: 2 uncles and 5 aunts excluding their husbands and wives

Mother's side: I have 1 uncle and 2 aunts excluding their husbands and wife.

11 ▪︎ How many (first) cousins do you have?

Father's side: 16 cousins
Mother's side: 6 cousins

12 ▪︎ How often do you see your cousins?

I see my cousins from both sides of the family very often since it's tradition to invite one another to birthday parties and other celebrations or vacations.

13 ▪︎ Do you live with your parents? How about your grandparents?

I only live with my mom since my dad lives abroad. I don't live with my grandparents.

14 ▪︎ Are you married?

Nope, still young for that.

15 ▪︎ Do you have any children? If yes, what are their ages?

Again, I'm still young for that.

16 ▪︎ Are your parents strict?

It depends, they are only strict when it involves my health or our money. Other than that, they're pretty chill.

17 ▪︎ Are chores assigned to children in your family?

I don't want to sound like a spoiled brat but we do have a caretaker at home and everytime I offer to help around the house, she insists I don't do anything. So yeah, I'm pretty much a lazy kid.

18 ▪︎ Do you often visit your grandparents?

Unfortunately no, they live with my father and they rarely come to visit us.

19 ▪︎ What are the occupations of your family members?

Both of my parents used to be engineers in Vietnam but then their company got bankrupt so they moved back to the Philippines. My father is now a manager of a water refiling station and a municipal councilor. My mother used to work as an HR Manager for a book publishing company but then she quit from her job and she is now a housewife.

20 ▪︎ Who is the breadwinner of your family?

My father, he is a really smart businessman so he earns a lot.

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1 ▪︎ What are your parents like?

My father used to be a valedictorian and at the top of his class in the past so he would be the type of father who really cares about our studies and is always giving my sister and I advices. He is a fun dad though and often makes jokes. My mom on the other hand is more of a creative person and is talented in a lot of things and she really cares about health. My sister and I got our creative side from her.

2 ▪︎ Do you get along well with your parents or kids?

We argue a lot but we forgive easily. It's just all of us are very different in personality and we have different interests and opinions.

3 ▪︎ Do you get along well with your brothers and sisters?

I argue with my sister the most. We rarely have things in common. However, when it comes to art, books and anime, we get along really well.

4▪︎ Do you get along well with your in-laws?

Well, I'm not married yet but I hope, when I do have in-laws, I would get along with them.

5 ▪︎ Did you ever meet any of your great grandparents?

My great grandmother in my father's side just died this year but I did meet her before. She was so lovely 🥰

6 ▪︎ Do your parents make you clean your room?

Yup, I actually sometimes volunteer to clean it myself because I don't want soneone misplacing my stuff.

7 ▪︎ Do your parents let you stay out late? What time do you have to be home?

Sadly no. I never had a sleepover when I was younger, my parents were paranoid about me sleeping with a friend's overnight. They're generous with curfews though and there are times I can go home until midnight.

8 ▪︎ Do you look more like your mother or your father?

All my friends and relatives agree I look more like my mom and act like my dad while my sister looks more like my dad and acts like my mom.

9 ▪︎ Who do you get along better with, your mother or your father?

My father and I understand each other better and we always have the same morals and values.

10 ▪︎ What are some of your fondest memories of childhood?

We were a really complete and happy family then. Since we lived abroad, we relied on each other mostly so we almost always have to go together everywhere. I miss our old halloween, christmas and birthday traditions, it's not as consistent as before.

11 ▪︎ What would you change about your childhood?

I wish my parents were more strict in making me learn Tagalog. Because I can only speak in English, I was left out most of my school life here in the Philippines.

12 ▪︎ What do you and your family like to do together?

Since we have very different personalities, we don't really always go together for vacations. One thing we always like doing together is going to the mall. It's a family tradition to go to the mall every time my father comes back.

13 ▪︎ What do your parents do in their free time?

My father really likes to surf through Facebook and send me and my sister memes and videos. My mother really likes cooking and watching motivational videos on YouTube.

14 ▪︎ Who is the black sheep (odd ball) in your family?

I'm not really sure but I think my sister is the black sheep. Among the four of us, she really has a unique personality and really likes things different from us.

15 ▪︎ Do you think a nanny or the day care centre is considered a thrid parent?

Yup, I have one and she is really nice. She really is a great parent figure when my parents aren't around.

16 ▪︎ Where is the best place to raise a family?

I don't like the idea of raising a family in an apartment. A nice family friendly neighborhood would be ideal for my children. I was raised in that same scenarion and I would want my children to experience the same.

17 ▪︎ Who should take care of old people?

I hate how some children neglect their parents when they grow older. Even if you don't have time, you should try to make time to visit and cheer up your parents once a month. Some retirement homes are good so it's not a big issue.

18 ▪︎ What is the best thing about your family?

I really love my parent's cooking. They are seriously underrated chefs, I feel like I'm in a restaurant whenever I have homemade meals. My family has a wide food palatte so we could be making sushi, to tacos, to pasta, to seafood and so much more.

19 ▪︎ What is the perfect number of children to have?

Based on my experience and from what I observed, 3 is the best number to have. My sister always talked about how nice it would be to have a 3rd sibling. Not to many, but not to less. Just enough to provide for and take care of.

20 ▪︎ How often does your family eat together?

Because my father isn't with us all the time, really very rarely. We all like to eat in different times so we don't usually eat together. When my father is around, it's an unspoken rule that we must eat together for every meal.

21 ▪︎ If you were offered an excellent job opportunity abroad, would you consider leaving your family for an indefinite period of time?

I actually discussed this with my family and they actually don't mind. In fact, they support me and my sister's decision and would be happy for us to explore something new.

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1 ▪︎ Describe the perfect family.

There is no such thing as a perfect family but if I have to describe one it would be a family that trusts each other so much that they understand their needs and wants. They would be supportive of each other and would encourage each other to reach their dreams. Members of the family should also be willing to open up and discuss their troubles and express their opinions truthfully and respectfully. And most of all, they would always have a good time together.

2 ▪︎ Do your parents get along well with each other?

I will be honest. My father is more logical and my mother is more emotional. This causes them to be in disagreement most of the time. An added bonus is they have really short tempers so they fight almost everyday. However, I don't see them divorcing, they have a really strong bond nevertheless.

3 ▪︎ Do you like your family? Why or why not?

Of course I do. I mean, there are times I really wish I could yell at them to make them understand how I feel but we all fit each other really nicely. It's always a fun time when it's just the 4 of us.

4 ▪︎ Do you often argue with your family? What about?

Yup, sometimes it can be about even the smallest things like losing something at school, or using each other's stuff without permission to the most complicated topics like cancelling a trip to visit each other, or career disagreements and our opinions about what we should save or spend on.

5 ▪︎ Are friends more important than family? Why?

I have friends that come and go. So far, I had about 10 best friends in my lifetime and only 1 truly stayed until now. I really can't keep my friends. For my family though, my sister is the best friend I wish I had and both my mother and father give better advices than some of my 'friends' so no, friends are not more important than my family.

6 ▪︎ Are you pressured by your family to act in a certain way?

Yup. Me and my sister are anti-social when it comes to family gatherings so we usually only communicate with each other. Our parents always force us to interact with my cousins and not only to each other.

7 ▪︎ Do you think people should adopt children from other countries?

Yup, there are more children out there that needs families. The language barrier and the culture might be a barrier but a family is family, regardless of the differences.

8 ▪︎ Is spanking a good way to discipline children?

I was never spanked as a child. My parents never really liked to go physical for punishments. It's always more mental. Like, they would make us feel guilty about our actions or they would threaten to leave home. I don't suggest physical violence, sometimes, changing your parenting technique can be a good way to teach your child good manners.

9 ▪︎ Should children help with the housework? How much or how often should they help?

I think they should help as young as they can. Even 3 years old is a good age to start. You can always start with the basics like putting away their clothes or cleaning their mess everytime they make one or even washing their dolls or toys.

10 ▪︎ Should people follow the religion of their parents, or should they have the liberty to choose another?

I'm a Catholic myself and I will be honest that I really don't like my religion. I mean, I do believe there is a God but I don't like the practices and how useless and repetetive the practices can be. I will explain more when the religion chapter will be up but children should have the choice to choose another religion or choose to not have any at all. In the first place, everyone has different beliefs.

11 ▪︎ What do you think of married couples who decide not to have any child?

I actually don't despise them but I also don't idolise the idea. I find it sad because if one day your partner will die, you will have no one to feel secure with or take care of. No one will be there to carry your lineage. You don't always have to concieve a child. Adopting can be enough.

12 ▪︎ What will you teach your children? (what values, beliefs, hobbies, skills, etc.)

I always want to teach my children respect. If respect is mastered, then there is no need to teach anything else. You won't murder, cheat, steal, etc. if you don't have respect.

13 ▪︎ Would you live with your parents after you get married?

As much as I love my family, I would love to live independently. However, if there will be a time when they really need me, I wouldn't mind them living with me.

14 ▪︎ What impact has divorce have on the family?

I have never experienced a divorce in my own family and even in my relative's families. However, I have classmates who do and I always notice how independent they are. They almost do everything themselves and they rarely rely on others. I mean, the children are always affected the most because they have to choose a side. Even if I like my father more, I can never choose one parent to live with if they get divorced.

15 ▪︎ Which do you think is more important: following the dreams your parents want for you or following your own dreams?

Always go for what you want. Your parents might have experience but in the end, it is your life not theirs. Your parents will not always be there in your life so it's best to make your own decisions.

16 ▪︎ Should parents give their children an allowance?

The one thing my parents like about me and my sister is that we don't demand that much money. They could give as a lot of money but we would choose to save it. My sister and I aren't materialistic. So it depends on the child, yes you can give allowance, but make it a reasonable amount.

17 ▪︎ What was the saddest time in your family?

Luckily, only my grandfather in my mom's side is the only one who has died in our whole family tree. So there is not a lot of sad deaths yet. As of now, the saddest time was when my father decided to work abroad. We always were together so it was hard to believe we wouldn't always be in the same house anymore. Luckily, he visits us whenver he can. Actually, as I am writing this, he's coming to visit tomorrow!! 😄

18 ▪︎ How do you feel about your parents growing older? If they no longer care for themselves, would you let them live with you or put them in a nursing home?

I'm actually afraid at the thought of my parents dying, I just can't imagine it. I would let them live with me when they reach a certain age so that I can spend time with them as much as I can while they are still alive.

19 ▪︎ Do you think your parents understand you? Why or why not?

My dad does, he always does. My mom on the other hand, we have opppsing opinions so we always get frustrated with each other. There are times my mom would understand, but it rarely happens.

20 ▪︎ Have you ever seen your parents cry? When was that and why?

I have seen my dad cry once. It was because of a letter I wrote for him. It was really personal and it was about a recent argument we had and about how much I missed him. As for my mom, I have seen her cry a lot. Mostly from arguments with my father, me and my sister. She doesn't cry happy though. I rarely see her cry when she's happy.

21 ▪︎ What was the most important thing your parents taught you?

Be confident. I was really shy growing up and apparently my mother was too. Now, my mother hosts events and argues with my teachers about their teaching styles, that's how confident she became. I realize how confidence can really change how a person sees life.

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There were a lot of deep and sensitive questions this time around. There will be more of them in the future so I hope that doesn't make you remove this book from your library. This is a book about discovering yourself after all.

P.S Sorry if there are grammar and spelling  mistakes. I don't proofread this book since it takes me a long time writing it.

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- 🥀 Roze