I believe that my birth order (the family hierarchy) has played a big role in my social development, I am a middle child and have felt as if I were insignificant to a lot of my immediate family members. Not only was I in the middle, but I was in the middle of a very beautiful sister just older than I, and a witty little baby sister. I grew up not being heard much at home, except for ridicule. I believe what saved my psyche from too much damage was the fact that I was my mama's baby for three years before my baby sister came along. George Mead theorizes that children find out who they are as they learn about society's expectations. It begins in infancy and, "By age two or so children have become self-conscious. Children are able to react to themselves as others would by this age." (Eitzen & Zinn pg 119) This indulgence seems to have sustained in me a good self image. Even though my siblings were permitted to pick on me, day in and day out, I knew I didn't deserve that.

I can relate very well to the portion of Chapter 5 that says, "Society is at once a product of social interaction, yet that product continually acts back on its producers." (Eitzen & Zinn - pg. 118) It was hard for me growing up. I stammered a lot when spoken to because I was afraid of saying something the wrong way. This made me slow to speak. I had to think it over in my head what I was going to say before I said it. This has been a great skill that has helped me out a lot in social circumstances. The meanness, too, has caused a positive effect in my life. I am more aware of other people's feelings than a lot of people are. Somehow the negative in my life has worked itself into a positive for me. I believe this is due to the love I got from my mother's seven sisters. (As well as the indulgence I got for my first three years.) Whenever my aunties were around, I was their pet. They spoiled me, bought me sweet little presents on my birthday, and talked to me about intelligent things. I didn't feel inhibited around my them. This helped maintain my good self image.

I can really relate to the popular notion that it takes a village to raise a child. This concept has helped me with raising my own children. (All of these things have, actually.) As a result of this nurturing nature that I have, I love mothering children. I have nine, four by birth and five adopted. All of my experiences have helped me to learn positive parenting skills. With so many duties that parenting entails, I sometimes find it hard to put everything into the right perspective. I want to do everything and be everything for my kids. Then I remind myself that if it weren't for my relationship with my relatives, my life would not be as rich as it is. So, I encourage and advocate the relationships between my children and our extended family members. This helps the nurturing of our children as well as creating a family bond with all of us.

Pamela