My Family and Our Imperfect Home
Adelin Cibrian
BEFORE YOU READ:
1. Read the title and the headings. Do you think you will be able to relate to this piece? Why or why not?
2. Read the box on p. 29. Discuss the difference between imperfect and impeccable. Is your home imperfect or impeccable?
3. As you read, note the words in bold italics. Use context clues to figure out what they mean.
Teamwork
Can you imagine living in an impeccable,
clean, quiet home, where there are no conflicts, everything is in order, and there are no financial worries? No, no, and no. That is definitely not my home. Keeping our house clean and in good repair and keeping the family out of debt is very challenging. It sometimes means we have
arguments. That does not mean we are not a close family or that we do not love each other. We know that a home does not need to be perfect to be happy; it just needs teamwork.
Kitchen Duties
In our home, every family member has a role to play. My husband and I are in charge of the food. Since my husband is a sous chef at a restaurant, he sometimes brings food home. He also cooks several specialties. While he cooks, I wash dishes. He prefers cooking, and I prefer washing dishes. We make a good team. My daughter sometimes joins us in the kitchen. She likes to make desserts, like banana bread or strawberries with cream.
Repairs
My husband makes small repairs around the house. If the sink is leaking, he can fix it. If there is a power outage, he knows what to do. My husband says, “If you know how to fix something, there is no reason to pay someone else to do it.” He is right about that! Especially these days, when everything is so expensive.
Chores
Fortunately, in my family, everyone washes their own clothes and picks up their belongings. My daughter keeps the living room neat and helps clean the bathroom. My son is supposed to be in charge of taking out the trash and recycling. But I always have to remind him. Sometimes I get angry and scold him, but he still forgets!
The Pets!
There is one more big chore in our home: taking care of the pets. We have two rabbits, Caramelo and Nieve. My husband said he would take care of them, but he only does it on weekends when he is off work. I do it on the other days. My daughter said she wanted a cat, and she promised to take care of it; but that was a lie too. When we brought the cat home, we thought it was a male, but it was a female. Later, three kittens were born. And I am the one who looks after them all. I enjoy doing it, but sometimes I have to rush. I have a job and a lot of chores. When I am off work, I cuddle them and talk with them.
The Expenses
Nowadays, everything is so expensive. The income of just one or two people is not enough. When my son turned 21, we let him know that he needed to help cover the expenses. Sometimes one of us has to lend money to another when we have an emergency, such as taking our pets to the veterinarian, or when we have to help our families in Mexico.
Not Aiming to Be Perfect
Our home is not perfect, especially when we argue about household chores and struggle to resolve financial issues. But we are not aiming to be perfect. We are aiming to take responsibility and support and love each other. When everyone shares the chores and contributes to the finances, life is easier and more fun.
AFTER YOU READ:
1. Which sentence best summarizes the essay. Explain why you picked your answer, and why you didn’t pick the other answers.
A) Mothers do most of the work around the house.
B) While managing chores, pet care, and finances creates occasional arguments, a family stays close and happy by sharing responsibilities and supporting one another.
C) It’s okay to have an imperfect home.
D) Fixing household leaks and cooking meals at home are the two most important skills for keeping a family out of debt.
3. Note the structure of this essay. It has an introductory paragraph, four body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. Find the topic sentence in each paragraph. In the introductory paragraph, find the sentence that best points to what the essay will be about. How does the author prove her point? Be specific.
4. Write an essay describing how you manage food, repairs, and chores in your home. Write an outline first and make sure you have an introductory paragraph, at least three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. Make sure each paragraph has a topic sentence and supporting details.
Adelin Cibrian is a student in the English Multilingual Learner program at Santa Rosa Junior
College in Santa Rosa, California. She lives in the city of Cloverdale, California. Adelin always enjoys learning something new; she believes it never hurts to know a little extra. “You never know when you might need it.” She loves challenges, especially those involving academic improvement.