Crash course in parenting

I am, at 28, a mother to six children. Or an older sister, depending on how you look at it.

It's like a crash course in parenting. Suddenly, my brothers, my dad and I have to fix our schedule on who brings my cousins to school, and who will pick them up. The schedules have to be well coordinated.

But for their school enrollments, requirements etc., I sometimes feel that it has become my sole responsiblity. I have two cousins currently enrolled as seniors in an unknown highschool somewhere nearby. The responsiblity of getting application forms and checking their testing periods has fallen on my shoulders.

Yesterday, I called DLSU to ask them something about their requirements.

DLSU: Taga-san ba yung mga mag-aapply?
KT: Taga -(name of school here) ho.
DLSU: May highschool ba yun?!?
KT: Aaaah.....uhm.... opo.

From that single question alone, can I conclude that DLSU has never accepted or encountered applicants from that school?

I ask my cousin, "So, anong ginagawa niyo sa school?" And she replies, "Nagkwekwentuhan, nag-gigitara, walang nakikinig sa teacher...." ?!?!? Sus... they can do those things here at home. No need to pay the school for that. And obviously, nobody from the school handles the college applications of their senior students.

If there's anything I learned from living with my cousins, it's this -- it's hard being a parent. Either you're the cool dude who allows the kids to do as they please, or you're the stern adult who says no to everything. There are times when my dad vents out his frustration over my cousins to us. And I am tempted to ask him, "Dad, nung bata pa ako, binigyan ba kita ng ganong sakit ng ulo?" But I don't ask him, because I'm afraid I won't like the answer. :)