I Believe

 I believe that stepdads can be better father figures than biological dads. I grew up not knowing who my biological father was because he didn’t know I was his kid. I grew up with my half brother’s dad raising me until I was fifteen.  I had realized that I was being treated way differently than my brother because I wasn’t his biological kid. Right before I turned sixteen I tried to overdose. It was probably one of the worst events of my life but good things came out of it. I realized how toxic that household was and I left and lived with just my mom.  Shortly after I stopped going there and got out of the hospital I got in contact with my biological father. He then got in contact with my mom to talk about me being his kid. All was well I found out about all my other siblings I had who lived in Colorado with my dad and his girlfriend. Then in the middle of March, the very day we got out of school because of covid I left Missouri Valley and went to Colorado to meet my dad, siblings, and his girlfriend. It was such a good experience that happened. I’m so glad I got to meet them. We texted every day and he always asked how I was doing, then eventually it stopped. No communication at all. Fast forward about a month my mom got into a relationship with her boyfriend Tony Bialas. He had become my father figure because my dad and I didn’t talk. We became closer throughout the months. During the summer I would go stay in Lindsay with him for one to two weeks at a time and babysit his four-year-old son. At first, I didn’t like being away from my mom, but I eventually got used to it. Towards the end of the summer, my mom, Tony, and I all made a decision to let me live with him full time and move schools because I was getting bullied at my old school and I wanted a good senior year. I eventually got all my stuff moved in and I was nervous to switch schools but he was a big help to the adjustment. He’s done more father things in my life than my own father had done. There are some times I get yelled at and don’t wanna live there, but I eventually calm down. Moving in with him was the best decision. I eventually want him to adopt me. I’m so grateful to have a good father figure in my life and one that talks to me and takes care of me. Up to now my biological dad and I have talked maybe ten times since I moved if that. The last text we sent to each other was Merry Christmas. I want to go back to Colorado, but more to see my siblings rather than my dad. I miss my siblings way more because I came into their lives and kinda just disappeared. I feel bad but there really isn’t anything I can do about it.  I am now seventeen and have had about four different father figures in my life. As you can see my mom’s boyfriend has had a big impact on my life. Some people may hate their step-parents, but I love mine.

                                        -t swifty