Lifestyle
For the lives that we love, and everything that comes with it.
Telling Tales: Why Survivor Stories Matter
Earlier this year, I attended a recovery program for survivors of domestic violence. The abuse had taken place more than 10 years previously, and it had haunted me ever since. The first time around, I tried to seek help, but I was let down by all the agencies that I sought help from: my doctor, social workers, the police. My abuser’s stalking behaviour and his tactic of threatening and harming anyone close to me left me isolated and without support. He was a charmer and the master of telling a good tale himself; with no evidence to back up his often extraordinary claims, those in authority took his word over mine.
By Katy Preen8 years ago in Viva
How To Train Your Dog
Here are some of my thoughts and experiences of training dogs over the years. Obedience: The first thing you have to do is get the dog to pay attention to you. If its attention is all over the place, it will be next to impossible to train it.
By Dean Moriarty8 years ago in Petlife
Top 10 Films for Every Feminist
Face it, women on the big screen aren’t always accurately represented, or more to the point, they’re simply the "eye candy." That’s offensive, to say the least. Women are as strong and fight just as hard as men for simple things, like the right to vote, wage gaps, and a whole bunch of other things that men will never understand what it’s like to be without. Even when a movie producer aims to have that strong female lead, it sometimes tanks anyway because that’s just not how women work in real life. There are some amazing movies, though, that every feminist should see in their lifetime. The following ten films shed real light on issues and show women in the best way possible.
By Allison K. Jones8 years ago in Viva
Moving
When I was 12 I lived in a small town called Ruch, Oregon. Ruch was mainly farming country. Lots of hicks and horses. It got cold in the winter, smoky in the summer, and it was perfect. My brother, my mother, my father, and I all lived in a beautful A-frame home in the middle of nowhere. It took us an hour to get to the nearest health food store, which we visited weekly. Of course, there was only one school in Ruch. My 9-year-old brother and I attended for 3 days. After my parents learned that the school was affiliated with the church next door they pulled us right out. We didn't like it much anyway. However, this left us with no place to learn and no place to go every day. So, my parents decided to homeschool us and while making that decision they could not have seen what was coming.
By Savanah Schafer8 years ago in Families
The Most Beautiful Baby in the World!
There a few, but most important events in my life that gave me great joy, a joy that made me feel like I was the king of the universe. These were times that, if I did something else at that point, I would have succeeded. If I had played the Powerball lottery or something else instead of these events, it would have resulted in a spectacular result. There was the first day of my life, finishing (successfully) grade school, high school and the getting FOUR degrees/diplomas from a major university. Then, there was getting my first teaching job and, eventually, becoming an assistant principal. I remember the music and athletic goals that I also set and achieved for myself as well.
By Maurice Bernier8 years ago in Families
32 Amazing Products New Parents Swear By
Babies are incredibly high maintenance, and anyone who tells you differently doesn't have kids. Part of actually keeping your sanity intact (and getting sleep at night) with a newborn is having products that make parenting easier than before.
By Mackenzie Lu8 years ago in Families
Step-Children Don’t Like You? Don’t Worry, It’s Normal. Top Story - September 2017.
I left an abusive marriage more than 30 years ago when my three children were quite young. The following two years were spent repairing the damaged relationships with my sons, who had all but been ignored during the travesty that was my marriage. Even though I vowed never to remarry, I met a wonderful man who was the exact opposite of my former husband and eventually we were married. Our relationship was perfect and my children were very happy. In short, we had the perfect family. One-by-one my sons asked if they could call Tom "Dad" and of course no-one was happier than their new dad. Tom and I agreed at the beginning of our relationship that I alone would be responsible for disciplining the children because I was concerned they may resent him, so Tom basically became a good friend to my three sons.
By Mari-Louise Speirs8 years ago in Families
