parents
The boundless love a parent has for their child is matched only by their capacity to embarrass them.
The Beginning
A short time ago I received some news of my father. He has emphysema which had become so bad he will need an oxygen tank for the rest of his life. He had always been a heavy smoker. What surprised me was how I reacted. I thought, "Oh well." Later I started thinking about why I reacted the way that I did.
By Jessica Baker7 years ago in Families
Learning to Forgive My Mother
There are times when to me my mother seems like an angel or a saint. I look at her and all I see is how amazing she is but yet I struggle because the reality of her is often difficult for me to conceptualize. I do not want to give a biographical timeline of my mother’s life, but I’m not sure there is any one story my mother has told me that can take up more than a minute to explain. The stories I get from her are in bits and pieces, more like a puzzle that has not be solved yet. Within these narratives that feel more like anecdotes than stories, I see her as either all good, to be lauded or someone I am completely disappointed in.
By Chelley C.7 years ago in Families
His Domain
I remember waking up every morning to the strong lingering smell of my dad’s morning coffee set on the kitchen table right next to his truck keys just waiting to be picked up. As soon as he stepped out the door with his keys and coffee in hand, the cold breeze would fill the house, giving me chills. He would quickly start gathering his tools and lifting the heavy machines onto his truck and securing them for the long trip to who knows which city he would be driving to. As soon as I heard the engine of his truck go on I would speed out of the house and jump into the cold passenger seat freezing but happy that I would share a few minutes of unpredictable funniness with him before having to go to school. His funniness is one-of-a-kind. He could make a joke out of everything and it's never at the wrong times, not with him. My dad has always been able to find happiness in everything in life but by far work has been the place I’ve seen him the happiest in.
By Tracy Cortez7 years ago in Families
10 Ways a Mother-Daughter Relationship Changes When You're an Adult
"Ugh, mom, you're ruining my life." It rings of bad 2000s teen dramas to be sure, but it's also something many daughters have said to their mothers as teenagers. Those years can be trying, as you feel more and more ready for independence and responsibility, but still don't have the freedom you want. This is part of the reason mother-daughter relationships can be tense just before you enter adulthood. And even if you never had a "you're ruining my life" phase, there are simply some things that you can't understand about your mother and your relationship with her until you reach adulthood yourself. For this reason, there are many ways a mother-daughter relationship changes when you're an adult, for better or for worse. (Spoiler alert: it's mostly better).
By Nicola P. Young7 years ago in Families
Why I Hope to Be Like Hagrid
I am a HUGE Harry Potter nerd! It is, by far, my all-time favorite series. I don't mean that I really enjoy the series or I like how they're written. I mean I have two Harry Potter tattoos and entirely too much merchandise. I'm a Harry Potter nerd. Everyone asks me who my favorite character is. This is a complicated question for a lot of reasons. If we're talking in general, my favorite character is Sirius Black. However, if you asked me who I admire most as a parent figure for Harry, I would have to say Molly Weasley and Hagrid. I admire Molly Weasley for obvious reasons. Many people question why Hagrid though. I have a few reasons...
By Michelle Schultz7 years ago in Families
Should Parents Have a Say in Who Their Teen Dates?
“You want to date who?!” This question is asked many times by parents to their teens. Parents want to know who their child is dating, if they are dating, what this person is like, and every teeny tiny detail about the person their teen is interested in. Parents are like the FBI when it comes to dating for their teens, but is this good for the teens? I believe that parents should not have a say in who their teens date because it is the teen's love life, they will eventually find out if it is just not meant to be, and parents do not always see the other side of the person their teen is wanting to date.
By Dakota Love7 years ago in Families
Mom-Shaming
I have noticed SO MUCH mom shaming happening today. The advice and questions begin pouring in when you first find out you're pregnant. There's the weird belly-touching part, questions about how you're feeling, how you're going to raise your child, etc. Then, as soon as the baby is born, there's almost a switch that's flipped. I've noticed it mostly with strangers than the people I actually know when they ask questions about your child. According to the current "standard norm of right and wrong" when it comes to having a child, I basically checked off every box on the list and I have heard every one of the following, most often from people I don't know...
By Amanda Roullier7 years ago in Families
