Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Bundjalung Country.
My sense of place is forever growing and expanding. Home is a thread that stretches and curls its way to new places, but it never unravels from those places in the past. Now and then I feel the pull of this thread, and places or moments in time that I deemed lost, somehow find their way back to me. This thread, my home, is inextricably linked to people and moments that have gone and passed. All these sentiments of home stem from Bungjalung country- my country, the Midginbil people.
By Steph Louise6 years ago in Families
Live, when you are alive
It appeared as if it was just yesterday when the whole thing happened. A wave of an uncontrollable force smashed and took everything out in a minute. A minute that tumbled her life and vaporized her in such a speed that nothing else mattered, just survival. Survival for her elderly mother, daughter and more than anything else - her son.
By Ravimanivasagan K6 years ago in Families
A walk away from home
Hours of crying had tired my eyes into submission and sleep came deeply and without warning. My whole world had changed few months before my 18th birthday. Until last night I had looked forward to my upcoming holidays in India, a land that was just as mysterious for me as it was for most of the white kids in my school.
By Nidhi Dotta6 years ago in Families
The Provider
The screeches, squeals and screams of a two year old child from the adjoining room permeated the tranquility of an extremely rare, individual shower. The warm water cascaded down shoulders and arms, thicker than a few years before with muscles strong from carrying, holding and cuddling her beautiful child. Claw marks from tiny nails and a clear outline of a toothy jaw, a bite from a game gone a bit too far, was bruising a lovely yellow with green around the edges on her chin. She was so shocked when it happened, the tiny creature giggling as he clenched his jaw shut tightly, tears of pain springing to her eyes. She let out a scream and tried to pull the little thing off her, causing more giggles and an even tighter grip. The fingers raked down her chin as she tickled under the boy's arms, finally causing the jaw to release.
By Laura Carter6 years ago in Families
Financial Independence
My room is dark despite it being 3:00pm on a Tuesday in the middle of July. I closed my blinds two weeks ago to stave off the guilt of staying indoors for days on end, remembering what it was like to be depressed. But I’m not depressed, it’s just summer.
By Grace Flowers6 years ago in Families
Last year I froze my eggs. It was strange, bruising and cost a lot, but I felt set free
The first thing I felt as consciousness returned was someone patting my leg. It was my consultant surgeon, standing beside my trolley in the recovery room of one of central London’s leading fertility clinics, beaming down into my face, which I could sense was still a blank from the general anaesthetic, along with the rest of my body.
By Charlie Nicholson6 years ago in Families
Childhood memories
Yesterday I remembered my childhood abuses after listening to some old things from my brother's mouth. In which almost every Sunday of my childhood was spent. How innocent, how naive those memories are, in which childhood is spent. People tell the truth, people die but memories never die. On every side of one of those walls of blind turning streets, the passerby bowed with full reverence, without knowing which religion God is associated with. Used to have a lot of self in itself. I was a child at that time, but I never felt any fear in going through the streets of those blind turns, but today, whenever there is a way (very little) of a road, but when going through a dry road, there are many types of expressions Come to my mind, we were talking about the streets of childhood, we used to go to our grandmother's house every Sunday and the way to her house used to go through these dark alleys.
By Yogesh Sawant6 years ago in Families
The Little Black Gift
Today has been the most difficult day of my life. I sit here with swollen wet eyes, weighted mind, stricken with grief so bleak my heart beats up through to my ears. I say goodbye to my dear sweet grand-mama Pearl. I rest my hand upon her body and I whisper my love. I close my eyes and think of her. She was warm, comforting, the blood line of my lineage, the artery that pumped life into our family. Every Sunday without fail, our bellies, our stuffed gloated egos, and the be-it-all to never miss me souls would feast on her labored felt nourishment. Her song was her food, that she so lovingly and graciously prepared for her family. She offered in full force without resistance, refusing help from all the younger women. Those women in the family that really just wanted a mere glimpse of her culinary sorcery. Every delicately, perfectly, beautifully crafted home dish that enveloped her passion and exemplified her roots. She cooked with heart, with love so deep you could taste it with every home soaked golden buttery bite.
By Laticia Blaine Hequembourg6 years ago in Families
Choosing a Child Care
Selecting a child care centre is a difficult task that a lot of parents and carers end up facing at one stage or another. The decision to leave your child with complete strangers, qualified or not, is not one that a lot of parents take lightly. Unless of course you are like me, and are desperate for a day of sanity and peace with little concern given that these carer's are often very qualified. However, I was blessed with the good fortune of an easy going personality and previous experience working in child care - so I didn't have as much anxiety as a lot of parents would. Having been on both sides of the fence - both a parent and an educator - I think I have a solid foundation on being able to provide advice on selecting a child care centre.
By Emily Fernan6 years ago in Families
ASD Snapshot: Can I Go?
In Transition We are still learning to drive. Months after passing the Ontario written test (six swings at the bat), we move to British Columbia: another province, another test. No biggie, I tell myself. Erik can write the BC learner's test during the last week of August, the week before college orientation begins.
By Teresa Hedley6 years ago in Families
