It’s not common to be an only child amongst the Bataknese, but that’s who I am. I am the only daughter of my mother, and to be honest, I like the un-common-ness of being an only child.

If you assume that being the only daughter means I always have a very warm and close relationship with my mother, well… Your assumption is not correct. I started to get along nicely with my mom around 5 years ago, I was having so many personal issues at that time.

I cried endlessly and she didn’t know what to do. I was mad because I thought she did too little to help me, she was mad to me because she thought I was too full of my self. We never had a real talk since I was a kid.

I wasn’t able to see her as a woman who also had struggled a lot in her life, I saw her merely as a “mom”. I think she never see me as a grown adult woman, for her, I am always that tomboy, clumsy, bookworm, 10 y.o girl.

We work it out, I wanted to have a better relationship with my mom, it’s just the two of us anyway. I spend some time to hear her stories, to converse in the morning or in the afternoon with her. I tried to see her as a person who oftentimes have different point of view and opinions from me. Our relationship is way much better now, and I am so grateful for that.

Cheers, may you too can improve your relationship with your loved ones.😘

Karin Sabrina.