parents

The boundless love a parent has for their child is matched only by their capacity to embarrass them.

I’ve Just Learned That My Father Is a Narcissist, and I’m Angry!
I’ve just discovered that my father is a narcissist, and I still can’t believe it. My father is in his late 90s, but don’t let that fool you. This is not some doddery old man who doesn’t know what day of the week it is. In fact, my father is kind of a miracle man, inasmuch as he’ll be getting his telegram from the Queen in just a couple of years, but he’s still the fittest person I know. He swims every day of the year, regardless how cold or wet it may be, and many days during winter he’s the only person out there in the icy cold water. After his swim, he gets on his stationary bike and pedals away for 30 minutes, then finishes off with some stretching exercises. He plays golf on a regular basis and can hold his own with golfers 20 and 30 years younger than himself. He doesn’t need to wear glasses, he certainly doesn’t need a hearing aid, and he even has all his own teeth! He lives in his own home, mows his own lawns and tends to his garden himself. Every day he gets into his car and takes himself shopping and out for lunch. And, to top it all off, he is an excellent cook and is perfectly capable of taking care of his home. Yes, I sound proud of him, and in a way, I am.
By Mari-Louise Speirs7 years ago in Families
When the "Deadbeat Dad," Really Isn't
It’s one of the saddest tales on Earth; a father who doesn’t care about or support their children emotionally or financially. The fathers want nothing to do with the children and move on with their lives without a care in the world. But what happens if the father wants to be there for his children, pays support, and does everything in his power possible to be there, yet because the father and mother are no longer together, the mother becomes bitter and dubs the father a “deadbeat dad?” This is becoming a trend that is spreading all over.
By Crystal Nicole7 years ago in Families
Teen Mom to Suburban Wife
My name is Jesica, I have two daughters, eighteen and thirteen. I became a mother at seventeen and again at twenty one. Raising two girls scared the Hell out of me. You see, I didn't have the best parental examples so I kinda had to just figure it out. Of course there's never been a handbook for raising kids but at least most people (if you're lucky) have people in their life to help guide them. My parents divorced when I was five years old, their relationship was a toxic one and definitely not a great example of what a marriage should be like. Cheating, drugs, alcohol, you name it, they did it. Most kids pray that one day their parents will get back together... Not me. The thought of them reuniting terrified me. When they divorced, my mom was granted full custody. I always resented my father for not putting in the effort to fight for me. Living with my mother was far from easy, we never had any resemblance of a stable life. We bounced from home to home or hotel, whatever we could afford at the time. Then of course there was the revolving door of men. When I was ten years old my thirty two year old mother married again to a eighteen year old guy that she knew for about six months. He barely spoke any English and hated working. As an adult myself now, I really don't understand what she saw in him or what she was thinking. When they married, my mom and I lived in a studio apartment and once they married so did he. Needless to say, it was cramped. I always looked forward to summer so I can go be with my dad, especially this year. Anything to escape my life. As time grew closer to summer my dad decided to finally tell me that he had gotten married as well and that his new wife had just given birth to a baby boy. I was so excited to meet my little brother but at the same time was upset that I was left in the dark. At ten years old I thought, Yay! Maybe we can be a normal family and maybe my step mom will do things with me my mom didn't. I was so determined to convince my father to let me move back home with him and our new family. When I got there it definitely didn't go the way I had envisioned in my mind. My step mom and I got along fine and I adored my little brother... But when I begged my dad to keep me he said I could stay for the next school year but after that it would be better to go back because my step mom had two other kids that were gonna be moving in eventually and there wasn't enough space for me to move in permanently quite yet. Of course I was devastated... In my mind at that age, I thought that he was just trying to find another reason to not keep me. I couldn't understand why he was ok with the way my mom was raising me. At the time I thought he knew everything that was happening but of course he's not a mind reader. I would tell him some stuff but not everything and it's not like my mom was calling him to tell him how awful everything was. He didn't know how my step father would get drunk and beat on my mom. Or that we had no electricity for days but that my mom always found a way to get high. And worst of all he definitely didn't know that I would wrap myself up in my blanket as tight as I could when I went to bed, praying that my step father wouldn't try to lay with me again and try to force me to do what my mother wouldn't... How could he know something that's never been said out loud?
By Jesica Anzaldo Bonsante7 years ago in Families
Turkey Twizzlers or Chia Seeds, You're Probably Doing a Good Job
Today, I had a moment of wonder whilst watching my children play. I was in the (lovely) house of my good friend, our other good friend was there, along with three two year olds, one one year old, a nine week old and a baby belly (mine). I looked at them as they scattered stickers all over the place, making a trail of mess, and felt so full of happiness.
By Jaz Johnstone7 years ago in Families
What It's Like to Have Post-Natal Depression
My journey begins mid February 2017 when I took a pregnancy test after having missed a few periods. I was 19 and I had just split up with my partner. I actually took two tests just to be sure and when they both came up positive I panicked and started crying thinking my life was over. My mum who had waited outside our bathroom door for me came in and told me something I will never forget. Something which helped me decide to keep my baby.
By Martina Stopani 7 years ago in Families
We Live in a Digital Generation. Where Is the Balance?
When your kids grew up in a culture full of blessings that you can simply get access to something they want with a just a click away in this digital generation we live in, it has some side effects of disconnection from the reality of human interaction and the lack of not knowing how to deal with pain in life. The side effect of that is they have no clue how blessed they are until some huge storm of reality check hits their lives and same goes with us parents.
By Grace KOSTAMO7 years ago in Families
Finding Purpose
I always knew I wanted to be a mum. Maternal instincts came naturally to me, even from a young age. While our birth mum neglected and abused us, I had cared for my younger siblings in ways a five-year-old never should have to. And as tragic as all that was, from those events that I experienced I have learnt what NOT to do. I now have wonderful parents who took up the role of looking after me and I honestly feel I am a better person because of all the things I’ve experienced. And I still felt so sure that motherhood was for me.
By Megan Wright7 years ago in Families
Help My Mom and I
Above is a link to GoFundMe account that I started on behalf of my mother. This is hard since we like to do things on our own and for ourselves. She deserves to get the health care that she needs and it seems like it can only be provided up north where the state will help her with insurance and all. I am essentially doing this alone since all our money ends up going towards rent in the hotel (as stated in GFM). I just need help, all I'm asking is to donate if you can or share the link. We leave in a little less than two months and that gives no time to get her properly checked, but something is better than nothing at this point. Please. I don't beg but please anything can help.
By Adrianna E.7 years ago in Families
Understanding My Parents: Pressures of Motherhood and the Motherhood Penalty
My parents got married at 25 and at the time, they were considered to be married pretty late. Since they were a love marriage and they got married so late, the pressure was building to have a child as soon as they were declared husband and wife. My mother often repeated the fact that her mother and her mother-in-law wanted a grandchild. They were itching to grow the family even more. From what I do remember of my grandmothers, they were the type of women who enjoyed cooking cleaning and doting on their families, especially their grandkids, so I completely understand why they would pressure my mom for a kid. However, my mother didn't want to have a child immediately after getting married.
By Mya Bhava7 years ago in Families
The Miracle of "Firsts"
The year was 1965. My father was in the garden one afternoon, picking green beans when I arrived home from the school bus stop. He waved at me as I came into the yard and hollered, "Hey, son! How was school?"
By Chuck Hinson7 years ago in Families
The Knackered Mothers Club
So very recently my Dad died. He had a stupidly short fight with cancer and lost. Naturally I'm upset, I'm grieving. Everyone grieves in there own personal way, I get that. But, sometimes I feel like I'm doing it wrong! Dad died exactly 7 days ago at 11 PM, and this morning I rang work with a smile on my face and told them I will be back Monday, what's more... I'm looking forward to it.
By Tascha Ralph7 years ago in Families
11 Weeks Later
The giggles, the smiles, the late night cuddles. Everything about her is so prefect. You miss her when she’s in the next room, you go out of your way just to get one last look at her before leaving for work. She has made you a mommy.
By Samantha Arquette7 years ago in Families