I’m 25, Broke and Tired of My Family Comparing Me to Others

I have struggled financially since secondary school through my ND and HND. There were times I ate from the same pot of soup for a week and could not afford basic needs, data, or church contributions. I survived by doing manual labour and running a mobile barbing business, but my family still says I have not tried hard enough. I love my younger brothers and hoped to support them through school and help them build their careers. Instead, my parents compare me to them and to people who learned trades early or made money through other means. They say that, at 25, I should already have a wife, children and a stable life. When I was 16, I wanted to learn a trade, but my father refused. Now I am being blamed for not having a strong foundation in life. I want to grow my barbing business, but getting customers and publicity is difficult. I feel hurt because my family treats me like I am the problem, and I fear being talked down to when I return home after my HND exams.

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