Much like the popular 1970s sitcom “The Brady Bunch,” freshman Christina Olkowski’s family has a hers/mine/ours complex. Their history, however, makes them mucb less of a single, cohesive family unit than the iconic TV family.
“I don’t really love it– it’s kind of confusing at times. Sometimes I feel like I’ve got to exclude myself from certain activities with friends when I go to my mom’s on the weekends,” Olkowski said.
Most of Olkowski’s life before her parents split is vague. She actually did not discover that they were unmarried when she was born until she researched her family history for this story.
Her biological parents, David Olkowski and Michelle Brown, had been married for three years when they divorced in 2002. Olkowski was in second grade at the time of the split.
“I don’t really remember it. It just happened so suddenly. I didn’t have time to consider it as a good or a bad thing,” Olkowski said.
For a year, she traveled between houses, spending a day with each parent. But with the end of third grade came a new, less hectic schedule: dad during the week, mom on weekends.
“It was a little hectic at times because my parents were still fighting. I was so young my parents helped me to stay organized, making sure Inhad two sets of everything,” Olkowski said.
Just three years later, Michelle Brown married Jason King, and Christina received a stepfather.
“It wasn’t a big wedding. I wasn’t even there. They just went camping. They had a priest out there,” Olkowski said.
One year after this, she added a stepmother to her family when David Olkowski married Beth Van Emburgh.
“It all happened so quickly. My dad’s house had already become just a place to sleep to me since his girlfriend [Beth] moved in [before they were married],” Olkowski said. “I wanted to live with my mom because I was closer with her back then, but the court gave my parents joint custody.”
Olkowski remained an only child until mom Michelle and stepfather Jason had Jason King Jr. now almost six, when she was in third grade. Soon thereafter they had Mitchell, now five. The Irish Twins were followed by Emily, now four, while David and Beth Olkowski had Autumn, now also four.
“When I was younger I didn’t like the idea of siblings. I was used to being an only child,” Olkowski said.
Michelle and Jason King then had Kasey, who would have been two, and Benjamin, now one. Sadly, Kasey passed away last September.
“I was away at my dad’s when it happened. Apparently the phone rang while Kasey was in the bathtub and my stepdad [Jason King] went to answer it. When he came back, she had drowned,” Olkowski said.
Jason King was tried and convicted for negligence after Kasey’s death was reported. He received a sentence of 10 years in prison, but got it reduced to one by a jury.
“They let him color, so he sends home drawings a lot,” Olkowski said. “It’s not good in there– the other inmates call him ‘Baby Killer’ and pee on his bed at night.”
Michelle King is hard-pressed for cash, raising five children all under the age of seven on her own.
“Last week she told me she just had $77 to her name. She runs the phone calls for the people who still work for my stepdad’s power washing and chimney sweeping business, but people take advantage of her,” Olkowski said. “Plus not too many people want their chimneys swept these days.”
A couple with two young children of their own live in the basement, occasionally helping out with the kids rather than paying rent, an arrangement that is in the works of improving because of the family’s current struggle with its financial status.
As the oldest by 10 years, Olkowski knows her stuff when it comes to her siblings.
“Mitchel likes ketchup, Emily likes ranch. I like hot sauce, Jason likes Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce. Autumn likes chocolate. And, well, Benjamin just likes baby food,” Olkowski said.
As difficult as it is to constantly visit her mother and stepfather (Michelle and Jason King live in King Geroge’s County, about a 2-hour drive from here) with school, a social life and extracurriculars like AHS Varsity Atomic Dance Team, she does hold frequent visits as high priority.
“Just me being there cheers [my mom] up,” Olkowski said.
Though she only lives with Emily Olkowski the majority of the time, she says she is closest with Jason King Jr., who was born first. Despite ther expereince parenting on the weekends at her mom’s house Oljowski has her limits. She refers to both step-parents by their first names only and, “[doesn’t] do diapers or bottles.”
David and Beth Olkowski are expecting another child this fall.
