Having a big family is fun — sometimes it makes you laugh, sometimes it just makes you shake your head.
One example is my uncle — my dad’s older brother. He works as an online motorcycle taxi driver, and his kids are all spaced really far apart in age. Maybe because he got married at different times, who knows.
One day, I was driving my car by myself. Yes, a car I bought with my own hard work — not my parents’ money. Suddenly, my uncle blurted out:
“Let me use your car, okay? I want to go visit my wife’s relatives. It just looks better, you know? We’re going as a group, and you’re still single, still young, just take a motorbike.”
I just went quiet.
In my head: Wow, seriously? My car, my gas, my loan payments — and you’re the one making the rules?
So I firmly replied:
“No!! If you want a car, just book a GrabCar. Don’t go bossing people around about their own car!”
And the next day, he actually complained to my dad. Said he didn’t like how I spoke to him.
But my dad just said:
“I have no say in this, bro. That’s my daughter’s car, not mine.”
And just like that — he shut up.
Some people really act entitled when they’re in a tight spot.
Same thing happens every Eid — his kids often skip coming to our house. Not because they’re shy, but because they go straight to asking the working relatives for money.
We never know what other people’s situations are like. Not everyone has money to spare. But they still have that “ask first, think later” mindset.
In the end, I learned one thing:
Family is still family — but boundaries matter.
My car, my rules.
Respect? Yes.
Being taken advantage of? No, thank you.
