Heidi Podoll
COUN 880
Assignment 1.2

The family I always wished to be part of was not a real family, but a fictional family from a combination of books and movies I have read or watched along the way as a preteen into adolescence. I do not recall names of the book or movies but I remember wishing my family was like that. I always dreamed of having a wealthy family, who lived in a bigger house, had designer clothes, went on fabulous vacations, and had nice cars. I wished for the older brother who looked out for and protected his little sister. I always wished for a dad who treated me like a princess, was athletic, handsome, and had an important job. I wished for a sister that was like a best friend and a mom who was involved in everything we did and when we were adults had a close relationship with me and my children. This was my “ideal” dream family. This dream family is different from my own in many ways. We were not a wealthy family, although we weren’t poor. We lived in a medium sized home in a good neighbor. My brothers shared a room and we only had one bathroom for six people. We had nice clothes and my mother tried to let us have the latest brand names. We went on vacation but never on an airplane and usually to camp or visit relatives. My brother was not protective of me, in fact always teased me, and I really didn’t think he even liked me. I would hear from others that he talked about me and was proud of me, which always shocked me because he never said such things to my face. My dad (although I would never tell him this) never made me feel special, never told me I was pretty, smart, or funny. He was always there and a reliable, stable force in my life. My sister and I fought constantly and she was a constant source of worry for me (still is). I know my mother did her best but with four children, it was difficult to be involved in everyone’s lives. As adults, she has become