Kira Acosta: Growing Up With Dad
Kira Acosta, 9, has been raised by her two older sisters and single father, Roberto, 62, in Sharon Springs, N.Y., after her mother committed suicide when she was six months old. Since her sisters left home a few years ago, Kira has become Roberto’s main focus leading the two to develop a close relationship.
Kira finds stability and happiness in her father. “I treat her wonderfully, no matter what, that's what means everything to me," says Roberto who was orphaned at a young age, spending his childhood bouncing between foster homes. To Roberto that means letting Kira buy whatever she wants at the store or eating chocolate cake for breakfast, but also ensuring that her homework and chores are finished, attention he never experienced growing up. Kira, who spends almost all of her free-time outside of school with her father, says, “he’s like my best friend now, we are together all the time.
“Are you ready for me to chase you now?” Roberto asks his daughter, Kira, after she finishes lacing up her new shoes in their kitchen on Nov. 16, 2023. Before she can respond, he starts chasing her in order to test the sizing. He has already returned three pairs of shoes this week. Despite Roberto’s efforts, Kira refuses to wear the new shoes to school the next day.
“I’m happy I let you choose a song” yells Roberto as EDM pop blares from his truck's radio while he runs errands with Kira in Sharon Springs, N.Y. “Wait for the drop,” echoes his Kira, who has been begging for the “old man music” to be turned off.
“I just let her put whatever she wants in the cart, that way at least I know she’s going to eat what I buy,” says Roberto while grocery shopping with Kira at Hannaford Supermarket in Esperance N.Y., on Nov. 25, 2023. Kira receives most of her meals at school, but is constantly requesting snacks from her dad at home.
Roberto sits beside Kira as she does her homework. “I can’t help her much, but I need to be with her so she doesn’t get distracted or fall asleep, I learn stuff too,” says Roberto who grew up with school being his last priority. “He lets me use his calculator sometimes or we google it,” reports Kira.
Kira's third-grade class photo sits beside a portrait of her mom, Deanna.
Kira watches videos on her father's phone while in her bed. “I decided I couldn’t sleep in the big bed anymore without Deanna (Kira’s mom) so I gave it to Kira a few years ago, now she thinks she can make the rules around here,” says Roberto.
Kira applies mascara in the bathroom of their apartment. "Put it on light and natural, that's the way to do it," advises Roberto from another room. Kira, who learned makeup techniques from her older sister, challenges him, asking, “how do you know that's the way to do it?”
Kira plays with the laundry hamper as her father attempts to prepare their clothes for the laundry. “Go collect your dirty clothes from the bathroom please,” Roberto asks Kira. “$10 bet there are none and I know there aren’t any, so I’m not going,” replies Kira, as Roberto continues to untangle clumps of clothes. Kira eventually retrieves some socks.
Handwritten notes and drawings by Kira adorn their refrigerator. Drawings etched by Kira over the years embellish other walls in the apartment. "Sometimes I would just go crazy and scribble," Kira reminisces. "I can’t cover them up now, it's like a scrapbook… I know it made her happy in the moment," remarks her father.
Kira challenges her dad to a game of chess on December 10, 2023. “I picked up the game along the way growing up so I wanted to teach her," says Roberto. “She asks to play all the time.”
Roberto shares a moment with Kira after she finishes her homework. “Do you love me?” Roberto asks Kira. “I already worry about the day she leaves me even though I want her to go out and do whatever she wants to do. I just hope she doesn’t forget about me.” Kira admits the idea of moving far away from her dad scares her.