Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
My Mum, who never gives up
I’m writing on behalf of my mum, Julia. I’m using her iPad. I’m sorry. I have her password. She tells me everything. I wanted to tell you a story. When I was born (see above), my Mum gave up her career. She was a Director of Advertising for Hearst UK. But, being married to an ‘Airline Training Captain’ she realised that I needed her constant love, as I had no one to care for me if she wasn’t there. She gave up everything. She loved me so much that nothing else mattered to her. My father was gone a lot. He travelled all around the world and she figured there would be no one there for me. So, she gave me her all. She left her career and is always struggling to find money from the allowance my father gives her. But she doesn’t care. She gives me her best effort, and last pence. In fact, she’s broke. But it doesn’t matter. I never had a school event that she didn’t go to. I always looked to see someone there, and there she was....always smiling and waving me on. Throughout my years at school, I ended up going through a very difficult time. I was bullied about my weight. I was harassed when I came out as Gay. My Mum was always there to protect me, encourage me, and love me. I remember her response to my sexuality; she said, ‘it doesn’t matter who you love, or how you love, as long as you love...if you accept that, I’m always so proud of you’ and I thought back to when I tried to commit suicide and realised, I wanted to live. I fought through my time at school with the message my Mum always told me: Always do what you love, believe your life is precious....and no matter what you choose, I believe in you. Your choices are my choices...because I trust in your heart.’
By Julia Smethurst7 years ago in Families
The Life Of Di
The beginning - Ever since I was little my nan has always been my best friend . She would always encourage me and lift me up whenever I was feeling down . I grew up living with her and my mother as the only child so I spent a lot of my times with her . We always had animals growing up as my nan is an avid animal lover I learned to love them unconditionally too . I grew up with an old dog named Angel who soon became my dog and a cat named Boots . I believe that because I watched the way she treated animals with such kindness and gentleness that I instilled that into my everyday life with not only animals but with the way I treat people .
By Armani Pinto7 years ago in Families
WHY YOU SHOULD MOVE OUT OF YOUR HOMETOWN
My wife and I are planning on moving from Boise to Chicago in the next year. Boise/Meridian is my hometown. I’ve moved away in the past for 1-2 year stints. I had a pretty positive experience growing up in a suburban small town, and being here is being in the height of my comfort zone. The place where you grew up is familiar. You have points of reference to go off of. This makes a person operate in a type of auto-pilot mode. In addition, having the constant input of family members who have certain expectations of you can cloud a persons sense of self. I want to be able to respond to situations outside the context of my hometown familiarity and familial input. Being in a new environment forces you to think in new ways. It’s part of survival. If you don’t have a history somewhere, you are able to discover who you are in an entirely new way. Participating in new activities, is going into uncharted territory. Uncharted territory allows for little to no past data for your brain to input and predict what will happen in the future. This can allow you to more easily stay present and sharp.
By Allaina Bradshaw7 years ago in Families
Leaving
Being able to leave for a year seemed crazy to many people around us. First of all because of the children's school. They will do their 4th, secondary 1 and 3 on the road. what better, in my opinion, to learn without compromises and scheduling conflicts!
By Caroline Brazeau7 years ago in Families
5 Tips to Safely Raise Gentlemen with Work Ethic
Although kids are extremely cute when they are tiny, before you know it, they’ll be as tall as you are or realistically, even taller. Part of raising children is teaching them manners. And these apply to both girls and boys.
By Tony Bleak7 years ago in Families
Twenty-Three Years
Dear mom, It's been twenty - three years to the day since you died. I have accomplished a lot in that time. From being able to go to the bathroom by myself, to graduating high school, having a baby, and now graduating again and soon getting married.
By Michelle Schultz7 years ago in Families
The Life Of Di
the beginning - Ever since I was little my nan has always been my best friend . She would always encourage me and lift me up whenever I was feeling down . I grew up living with her and my mother as the only child so I spent a lot of my times with her . We always had animals growing up as my nan is an avid animal lover I learned to love them unconditionally too . I grew up with an old dog named Angel who soon became my dog and a cat named Boots . I believe that because I watched the way she treated animals with such kindness and gentleness that I instilled that into my everyday life with not only animals but with the way I treat people .
By Armani Pinto7 years ago in Families
A World Lost In Time
Once upon a time there was a girl named Kayla and a girl named Bria. They both were sisters and had an amazing life until one day a big storm came and they got separated from each other. Bria ended up in New York and Kayla ended up in Florida, and they both worked really hard to make a living and hope that one day they will see each other again for a good cause. Or will it be? Here starts the story about Kayla and Bria.
By Bria Harris7 years ago in Families
My saving grace...
so my grandma is the woman who has inspired me to do great things. She is my bestfriend whom I tell all my problems to, what I did wrong, my goals, my thoughts/feelings, basically everything. So let me just start on tell you about her. She’s the sweets and kind hearted lady you’ll ever meet. She’s loves everyone and trys to help out everyone as much as she can even if she doesn’t know them at all. She’s the best listener, even if she has other opinions she’ll always listen. She has picked me up when I was going through hard times, when I wanted to end it all. She taught me how to keep my head up above the clouds, reach for my goals even if I feel as if they were too hard to get too. She has lifted my spirits and others in time of sadness. She is the strongest woman, she has stepped in front of guns, been threatened, had her cars set on fire, shot at, and still stayed kind and gave money to people even if she didn’t have it, fed my friends and took them in because they didn’t have food or anywhere to stay. She’s my superhero I’ve never seen someone so empowering her mind is beautiful as she is. She never judges me, tells me the truth, she’s my mom even if she didn’t give birth to me. She’s helped me through so much even when my mom kicked me out, let her boyfriend talk shit to me, abuse and damage me emotionally. She was right there to the rescue to help me telling me to day the good days with the bad. It’s only a bad day not a bad life, just take it day by day it’ll get better and it has because she was there loving me. Even if she couldn’t be there I could call her and rant to her telling her how I’m feeling, the best listener who keeps my secrets, the one I trust the most. I probably wouldn’t be here without her, she makes me laugh, such a goofy lady, always smiling and laughing. Going out her way to help and inspire others. She’s a lady who works for a school deals with kids who are so rude to her, helps them out, keeps them out of trouble and gives the most chances to everyone after doing her wrong. So to me she’s the woman that imspires me that through it all, the ups and downs, the good and bad days, all the crappy things that happen in life, to always stay happy and positive and good things will come in time.
By Pearly Ayon7 years ago in Families
I Remember HER
I remember the way she rolled her hair into a perfect low bun ready for the days work. I remember her slightly coarse and callused hand as we walked together. I remember the lines on her forehead when she was cross or upset because I didn’t come back home in time for lunch. These are my memories, senses and lingering moments of the woman who continues to inspire me everyday.
By Daff Zarco7 years ago in Families
THE STORY OF MY LIFE CHAPTER-1
I was born on August 28, 2003 in a middle class, Hindu (a Particular religion)Family living in Jalandhar, India. My grandfather was a doctor at that time and My Mom was a teacher and was doing some further studies to succeed in career. My Dad was also a doctor at that time and he currently is, But my Grandfather never let him work as doctor as they believe that my father doesn’t know how to earn money. I have one elder brother who is 3 years older than me. As i was born, My Mom was doing some studies and my father was always busy in helping my grandparents so there was no one to takecare of me. As my mom came from hospital she has exams going on so it was difficult for her to take care and also study for exams, My parents requested my grandparents day that can they please handle me until my mom clears her studies, but my grandparents said no, As they don’t want my mom to clear her education. At that time My Maternal Grandparents ( Mom’s parents) picked me up and they start walking outside the house as they said that “ This child is now mine and he will stay with us until my mom is done with her studies”. My Mom start crying as i was only three days old when i have to go my maternal grandparents house. It was so weird that a child who is only three days old has to leave his parents and Nobody on earth can ever kove you more than your parents. I stayed 2 years at my maternal grandparents house my parents come on every weekend to meet me with some toys and they feel very happy seeing me with my maternal grandma. My maternal grandfather has one grocery shop at that time so i used to go there and eat a bunch of candies for free and My Maternal grandparents loved me alot and they still do. My uncle also love me alot he used to give me ride every single night in car to make me sleep. Those 3 was my best years of my life. I received a lot of love from everyone. The neighbours the vendors on streets loved me alot.
By Armaan Malhotra7 years ago in Families
