My mom was one of those millions of women who were dieting to look “ ten years younger.” Yeah, whatever, Bad for me good for her. It worked, she says its hard for her but I think it was harder for me.


Every other weekday morning about 7A.M. I being 13 at the time my mom would walk into my room and announce that she was going for a walk across the street and to get up when my little brother did. When I would hear the door slam, I would roll over and go back to sleep. Then, all of a sudden, I would hear a “ mom mom mom where’s are you?” At the top of my three-year olds brother’s lungs. “ She went for a walk, go back to bed,” I would say. Too late! Thump, thump, thump. “ Sister, where’s are you?” “Not here.” “Yes you are, Sister, you joking on me,” he’d say poking my head. I would open one eye to see a big blue eye staring back at me. “Sister, you put in Dumbo?” Then I would, get up fumble with the VCR, and hit PLAY. After that I would lay on the living room floor half asleep. Finally, our mom would be home. “Great” I would think. “I can go back to-” “ Olivia, can you watch him a little longer? I need to take a shower.” When my mom was able to finally watch her own son. I’d be awake.


Lunch would consist of a sandwich and fruit. Sometimes I’d be allowed to make some Mac n’ Cheese. I think that’s what saved me that summer. Then my mom would sit there and tell me how good that would be to eat. When I would offer her some. “ No !’’ she would say. “ I’m going to eat a proper meal, my turkey sandwich. ”


After lunch, my mom would get on her exercise bike, which was old and needed some oil. She would watch The Wedding Date. Since it was PG-13, my two little brothers could not watch it. I could watch it, but my mom sat right in front of the T.V. and with that squeaky bike you couldn’t hear anything. So I would occupy myself another way. So would my brothers by annoying me!


Dinner would usually be something healthy. Sometimes the food was good, other times it tasted like cardboard. By the end of dinner, my mom would announce that she was leaving the table. My dad, who usually didn’t say much, said one night, “Thank you for telling the world.”

I am proud of my mom for what she did that summer ever though I didn’t really have much choice, I think I lost some weight that summer. I also learned if and I mean if, there was good food in the house, or at the table you better eat it! Any candy I got from my friends, I saved and hid in my room for drastic measures. When I returned to school, I loved school lunches and did not eat a lot. I think if my mom can do it, anyone can. My mom has kept up with her diet and is doing well. Well, I better go I can smell dinner, and I think its chicken! At least it will taste good! I hope!