immediate family

Blood makes you related, loyalty makes you family.

Women are powerful
When I first saw this challenge I immediately thought of my grandmother. She was a depression era farmer. Someone who conquered the “half-breed” stigma in rural Oklahoma. She left her family for love and never looked back. She survived domestic violence. She walked miles with two small kids to see her mom when she was dying only to be turned away. She supported a family of 5 by herself as a cotton farmer, a pie backer and ironer of others clothes. She kept her family together after their house burned. She mowed her own grass until she was 95 and she lived to 99.75. She was visibly strong. She was determined. She was a survivor.
By Jan Pratt6 years ago in Families
The Epic Man
Growing up men tend to be under a lot of pressure. We are constantly competing against each other. Who will be the best from the rest.? We are expected to be epic in a variety of things. We aren't allowed to cry because that makes us look sensitive. Instead we are told to suck it up princess. Is being emotional considered to be weak. We are told its time to wipe away your tears. Its time to move on with your life. We can't even mourn properly our emotions are held in. We need to separate masculinity from leadership. The pressure from that is causing men to be overly manly. We have issues balancing our masculine and feminine. Some men are forced into leadership roles due to certain circumstances. They don’t have a choice because life gave them lemons. For example if a parent dies all of sudden. The boy has to become a man pretty quick. He has to take over the leadership role . Something he isn’t used to at all. If he has another family member that is critically ill. Who is going to pay the bills? Obviously it will be the son or daughter who has to work and pay them. When life throws things at you keep thinking positive. Growing up we are told to be epic in sports. Even though sports isn't what interests us. Why are parents so competitive? A child could be just a beginner in sports and parents expect so much. Is it because the parents have their own insecurity issues? Or are they demanding more from their child. We are still overcoming the fears instilled in us as a child. The reason parents are demanding they didn't get to do things when they were young. So the expectations are even higher now from their Child. Not all men are born athletes everyone is gifted and unique in different ways. Your child could be gifted or talented in something else. You wont know until you communicate and get to know your child. Due to lack of Confidence men suffer in today's society. We all want the best for our kids as a parent. Men are told be epic in studies. If your not a honor student society wont accept you. There are Men who have university degrees and they flip burgers. There are men committing suicide due to not being able. To handle pressure from their parents and society. They felt they were absolute failures and not good enough. So they ended their life why is that? The letter grades shouldn’t decide your fate unfortunately its true. Why is there so much competition to get jobs. Why make your child compete with other kids. The parents telling them hey you have to be a lawyer, a doctor, like your relatives son or daughter. They are forced to pursue something they don't want to do. They just do things to make their parents happy.If we don't achieve the results expected from us. There is a aftermath that men have to face. We are told we are a epic fail. We cant be anything in our life ever. The Confidence gets killed and the urge to pursue the dreams. Men are expected to be epic in bed. We do our best to provide for our family its still not enough. If we don't perform well we get thrown under the bus. We also suffer health wise while trying to get ahead in life. Men also lose out on life working so much. We tend to sit in regret because our life past by quick. Men's emotions and insecurities play a big part in society. Why is so much expected from Men? Is society or circumstances to blame. Where is the Justice for us? Justice would be served if society didn’t put a lot of pressure on men. So they didn’t have to be something that are not. Men can be allowed to be their true self . We should be allowed be us and accepted in society.
By Sammy Randhawa6 years ago in Families
What Inspired Me to Leave it All Behind
A few months ago, I was working at an 8-5 job in an office. I would wake up, take my kids to school and hit the daily grind. I decided to join the legal industry because of all my past situations with my kids. I took a chance and some risks by just jumping in, but it paid off for the time being.
By Samantha Beach6 years ago in Families
My Proctor, My Mother
I was dating this guy and he was acting all kinds of shady, which was not like him. He had my state ID one day and I forgot to get it from him before he left or to ask him about where it was and he had just left . I was with my mom and so my mom drove to where he was going so that I could get it back. Later he called me and asked what was I doing around 1 am because he wanted to drive somewhere and talk. We drove out to Walmart after he got off work I guess so I wouldn't make a scene like a crazy person when he insulted my mom. Well, he asked me why my mom was following him like a crazy person. That pissed me off .He was mad because my mom drove where he was and he felt like she was following him so I asked him if he was doing something that he needed to be followed for and he said no .I was like why you gonna call her names when all she was doing was trying to get your attention so I can get my state ID? Which she did try to get his attention at that point Did she not trust him? No and she had never had a problem with him before so this was a first time kind of thing. I left and didn't want to talk to him because I was already not trusting him by the end of that night. My mom made jokes about following him saying if she was following him he wouldn't know it. And he wouldn't have.
By Amanda J Mollett6 years ago in Families
Fun Game Ideas for The Whole Family
Ahh, the sweet, sweet sound of victory. Finally, it is about that time again. Its family game night. A traditional night full of laughter, snacks, family, and of course, games. Now, no matter how old you may be, this is an event for all ages. The only question left is, what kind of gamer are you?
By Paisley Hansen6 years ago in Families
I Never Wanted To Be My Brother’s Keeper
I’m not entirely sure where the remembrances came from this morning. I was under the impression that each new year is supposed to be filled with optimistic anticipation of beautiful future things.
By PG Barnett6 years ago in Families
Identically Different
Ninety Four plus years ago, the above twins were born into the world to a loving interracial couple. They were born in Arkansas, a very southern state. Strangely, they recall their childhood as one filled with joy, happiness and lots of love. Them, nor any of their siblings ever spoke of encountering any incidents of discrimination or racism. They often laugh about how they were afraid of insects and would run from something the call, “flying manners.”
By Patricia Stone6 years ago in Families
Retrospect
Night fell around the only car on the two lane road in the backwaters of the sleepy town. A pair of headlights flickered to life as day gave way to dusk, and with it the dangers of deer leaping onto the roadway. Behind the wheel was a naval officer, her sweatpants and t-shirt ensemble allowing her to blend in with the civilians while she was on leave. She doesn't want the attention, she never has but it always seems to find her. The county knew her as the spelling bee champ, and chemist. But only the school teacher knew that she hated the attention and praise. Her eyes were bright with the promise of sandy beaches and opportunity waiting for her back at the navel base, but sad knowing that her time at home was quickly drawing to a close.
By SharonSharpe6 years ago in Families
Feelin' Good
My shrink told me that I wore rose colored glasses throughout my childhood and adult life so that I could, “Create the illusion of mother.”
By Georgina Johnson6 years ago in Families
The Hat That Shaped My Life
Each generation has its own twist on the ideal way to live, work and play within the confines of the socioeconomic climate of that time. Some beliefs prevalent years ago have faded into oblivion over the years, abandoned because of functional irrelevance. Gender roles, racial equality and religious beliefs have seen dramatic transformations over the course of history.
By Tammy Hader6 years ago in Families
Two
My mother is strong, stubborn, and like many Asian mothers, overprotective. My mother moved to the states in her thirties without knowing any English. After living in the United States for thirty years, my mother acclimated to the culture and had often surprised me with her progressiveness. But today wasn’t that day. Today, I called my mother because I wanted to share with her my plans to be engaged with my boyfriend and ask for her blessing. I could hear the panic grow in her voice. She began to shower me with questions.
By Ivy Son6 years ago in Families
Tree Cutters
"Alright, Mother!" I shouted, running into the jungle. Joáo was playing catch with his friends. He wasn't paying attention, reaching for a ball and slipped off a ledge; falling almost to his death. Mother is fraught with fear. Finding the Cordoncillo plant before nightfall was my duty. The blue sky had already begun to blend gold. I was racing time.
By Gizelle Annette6 years ago in Families