Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
How To Be A Bad Mom
I’m not a very good mom. In fact, most of my friends are better at “momming” than I am. Society defines the concept in ways I don’t match up to. I don’t wear makeup or dresses. I don’t do my hair or nails. I don’t keep an immaculate house. I don’t like shopping or decorating. I’m not a fan of major holidays nor the cheer that comes with them. Play dates are the worst. Sometimes, I don’t even like my kids. But mostly, I don’t like being a “mom.”
By Teshelle Combs6 years ago in Families
Chiraq XVI
Chapter 16 Sean was "Thugged" out in a hoodie and baggie jeans. Boo-G looked like a "Rough-neck" and was one who frequently engaged in destructive behavior and action. Boo-G, also had a broken "Five Point Star" tattoo on his left hand. Which demonstrated the hatred and animosity for the other rival gangs. Lucinda sat apart from the boys with several other girls. They sat whispering together excitedly about the rumors around school of Big Shorty's encounter with the other gangs.
By Press Release 6 years ago in Families
Ave Maria
We played all of your favorite songs and some of our own softly by your head all night. I laid by your side in that little hospital bed, my hand resting gently on your little chest. I wanted to feel your heart beating as much as I could before it was given away. The sound of beeping varied on the machines and the medication was altered more than a hundred times to keep you going, but only to make sure you could save the lives of others. We were far past the point of saving you. You were somewhere else, somewhere far more beautiful and serene than that tiny room, but we were here with just your little body, trying to keep your organs going.
By Emily Freshour6 years ago in Families
The Wife
All my bashful beauties out there, go ahead and blush now, because as a wife I need to talk about being sexy. A woman's ability to recreate herself in private and then reemerge in front of her man like a goddess is not only a necessary (and functioning) talent, but also a major privilege.
By SouloCircus6 years ago in Families
The Five Hearts
Have you ever had a life-changing moment in your life that just leaves you breathless? So deep that when you think of it, your hear skips a beat and it takes you just a moment to gather your thoughts? Your stomach does a flip, you may feel a bit shaky and thinking is just something that you cannot do, let alone speak.
By Bridgette Kovacevich6 years ago in Families
The Day I Found Power in Words
I remember in third grade I felt the magic of being a grown up. I was on a bathroom break with a friend of mine and we were talking about something that transpired in class. As he was talking I felt the urge to say the word shit after his comment. Then he looked at me as if I gave him a commendation and he kept talking. However, for me, it was like an “a-ha” moment. I was like, “Did I just say a bad word?” Then like a reflex, it came out of me again right on time after my friend finished his next statement. This time I said it with less meekness. He looked at me smiling as I was confirming what he was talking about. Truthfully, until this day, I have no clue about what he was saying. All I know was that I was tapping into an unknown power that made me feel strong, independent and grown. My friend’s tale became sheer background noise. I was wrapped up in the new ability I discovered. I started repeating my new “vocabulary word of the day” as if a magical lightning bolt was going to come from the heavens, striking me and turn me into Captain Cuss-a-Motherfucker-Out. There was no lightning bolt but I did belt my fifth and final cuss word with as much bass in my voice as a 10 year old can muster. I stood tall and affirming with my chest poked out, a broad smile in my superhero pose. My buddy thought my expletive riddled responses was my way of agreeing with everything that he had just told me, but in my head I was fascinated with the idea that I was now like my parents and understood the freedom of expression and sheer joy of cussing.
By Charles C. Campbell6 years ago in Families
Coach to Mom
Its something isn't it? When we look at our kids one day and realize we only have limited time with them left. It might be when they are doing something silly with their siblings. My son LOVED shaving cream and glitter! His Santa beard was the best I ever saw! That Saturday when I handed him his very first ball and white soccer ball, oh his face lit up like a firework!! You would have thought it was Christmas in the Mattei house because he was so excited that he finally had his own soccer ball! I didn't know it then, but I know it now. He was going to love this sport!
By Ashley Mattei6 years ago in Families
Adventures with F*Bomb Mom continued
There is this new goal my Mom has been working on. She seems to be quite dedicated to it too. Because every spare chance she gets she is working on it. Bet you are wondering what it is. Lets just say, I think it is an absolutely off the wall, most uncool thing she has decided to do with herself yet. She wants to be a writer, not just any kind of writer. She wants to be an Author. Like as in author of childrens books. Thats fine and all, except the fact that she is using ME as her "muse" she says. Whatever a "muse" is, I dont find it aMUSe-ing at all. When she first started working on it, she kept asking me to read it. She wanted my opinion about it. I think she wanted to see me happy or impressed. But I wasnt. And Im still not. I simply told her to stop asking me about it. I firmly told her that this kid right here wants nothing to do with her book, her stories or anything else she is using to embarrass me. Has she lost her mind? I am afraid to say this, but folks, my mom has officially fell off her rocker! And she doesnt even seem to notice it.
By Daisy ODay6 years ago in Families
Unbalanced Life
Since I was a very young my dad was a loving father. But that all changed in the year of 1996 when my parents decided that it was time to move from Atlanta to Alaska. Alaska was promised to be the best place to raise your kids. But there are many dark hidden secrets that plaque a small island. After moving to Alaska everything had seemed to change. My dad was no longer a father. He was evil, and dark. My temper grew with each and every passing day. I never understood what was going on. I saw that my baby sister (who's one year younger then me) was never in trouble. When I was just six years old I was told to go play outside. I was in a dress, and I didn't think much of it. I went out and played. I was playing on a pile of rocks, and these two boys had approached me. I didn't think anything of it, I mean why would I was just a child playing with some rocks. These two boys I didn't know who they were, but I still try to make friends with them. But that wasn't their plans. Soon these two boys had forced me to lay down. One boy held my arms and mouth, the other removed my underwear. Soon the one boy who took off my underwear, he was unzipping his pants. Taking himself out. He licked his fingers, telling me to be a good little girl and get nice and wet for me. He spit on me, trying to make things wet, and to make it easier to insert himself inside me. But he wasn't able to finish what he started. There was a noise and it spooked the boys, and they ran off. I had got up, pulling up my underwear and I ran home. I told my parent's everything that had happened, and they quickly took me to the police. At the police station the Chief of Police had taken me to the back with my parent's to question me. The officer was a male, and he had picked me up sitting me on his lap giving me a piece of paper and a yellow high lighter, and told me to draw what I had seen. I did what I was told. After I talked with the officer, we were sent home. Not to the hospital for DNA swabs nothing. Those two boys got to walk around with an order to just not come near me. In the early spring of 1997 the boy's and their family's had moved. But what they had done has scared me for life. Shortly after what had been done to me, I started to act different. My parents moved us from one rental home to the next, and that's when my parent's had an old Army vet move in with us to help with us kids. This man was hard to deal with, his military ways made it very hard to please him. I could never do anything to his standers. After a month of the Army vet being our sitter while my parent's worked. My parents moved in another guy, who was very funny. I had to two male nannies in my life, one who I could never make happy, and the other loved music and worked with food. As a kid I got use to the fun nanny giving me twenty dollars each week for ice cream, but that's not what I used it for. Life was still very much unbalanced I still wasn't able to make my parents happy in any way. Even if I tried they just thought I was up to something.
By Desiree Collins6 years ago in Families
