Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
The Four Radical Things the Queen Did in Her Last Birth. Top Story - July 2019.
Royal homebirth has been in the press a lot lately. Both Kate Middleton and Megan Markle considered having their babies at home, and just their suggestion was poignant—Royal homebirth hasn't been the norm for decades.
By Natalie Lennard7 years ago in Families
Reason First: LightSkinKeisha's Daddy Issues
LightSkinKeisha has an excellent attitude. She’s calm and composed and ladylike. She has an air of sophistication while still exhibiting an “around the way” girl appeal. Her mother made her that way. As for her dad, well, he just wasn’t there. And that’s a pity. And it’s far too common within the culture in general, and the genre of hip hop specifically. Fathers guide, lead, provide, and nourish. They are the standard bearers for the family unit. LightSkinKeisha can attest to a relatively large family unit. One of eight children, she hasn’t seen her father since she was four-years-old. Allegedly, he got strung out on an undisclosed substance and never bothered to show up for her on her practices for all-star cheerleading. She did that for thirteen years. In all of that time, her father never bothered to even call his daughter.
By Skyler Saunders7 years ago in Families
8 Things You Should Teach Your Teen Before College
Congratulations! Higher learning is a massive step in your teen's life and development as a person. Sure, you'll get all teary-eyed and emotional when your child leaves the roost to stake a claim in the world. But college is and has always been part of the grand scheme of things.
By Patrick Peterson7 years ago in Families
How You Can Have a Positive Impact on Your Child's Mental Health
Mental health is a huge issue these days. Thankfully, as we are learning more about various mental health problems there is less stigma in talking about it. Being a loving parent, you definitely want the best for your children and their development.
By Martin Bagel-Brown7 years ago in Families
The Family Way
It's uncommonly early on a cold December morning and I'm sitting in a blue faux leather chair in the delivery suite of our local hospital, holding my youngest daughter's clammy hand as she huffs and puffs her way through an intense nine hour labour. We've been here since five o'clock last night, and so far have seen one staff changeover and drunk a considerable amount of insipid tea, yet we're assured that it won't be much longer.
By J M Hunter7 years ago in Families
My Father My Hell
As a father, I always tried to do right by my kids; I wasn’t always successful. It was probably because there wasn’t anyone in my life growing up that I could learn from. So I pretty much flew by the seat of my pants. All I knew was that I wasn’t going to treat my kids the way I was treated. I think in that regard I was successful. You see, I don’t have one good memory of me with my father. Anytime we were together it turned out to be a disaster. Even a simple trip to the beach was traumatic. I was a fat kid, go figure, and he insisted that I wear the same orange spandex trunks as him. I don’t have to elaborate on that do I? So, here I am at ten years old in orange spandex trunks, and now, it’s time to learn how to swim. Being in the Navy earlier in his life, he was an expert on all things water. In his infinite wisdom, to teach me how to swim, he thought it best just to throw me in deep water, then he told me to swim to him. When I started to sink like a rock, he became angry, snatched me out of the water, then went fishing, leaving me totally embarrassed and looking stupid in those orange spandex trunks.
By Anthony Fioranelli7 years ago in Families
Mothering Teenage Boys
My first born was 15 a few weeks ago, and, I feel the same way I did on his first birthday. On his first birthday, I cried and held him all day. It was a multi layered cry. On one level, I was relieved that we had barely survived the first year. He was growing out of the baby stage. I wept harder though, when I thought about how he wasn’t the baby anymore, that my arms would get lighter from here on out. I cried in celebration because it was our day, his birthday, and my birthing day.
By Melinda Edwards7 years ago in Families
How a Kia Soul Restored Pieces of My Missing Soul
Did I tell you that 18 months ago I had a stroke? I was very lucky, I had no long lasting effects, as I walked out of the hospital able to move freely and talk. But the stroke did leave a long lasting scar, as it terrified the rubbish out of my immediate family and when I returned home, they began to act as if I was an invalid. They did not want me to drive or resume my independence as it was before my stroke. Yet they went on living their lives without me. I sat recuperating on the couch with various magazines and the television clicker, very lonely and frustrated. I became depressed with a lot of anxiety, which was being treated with various antidepressants along with my blood thinners and medications to treat the stroke.
By Debbie Lewis7 years ago in Families
What One Woman Said to this Doctor that Changed Childbirth Forever
On a rainy night in 1911, an English doctor is called to a woman in a slum in London. He parks his bicycle outside and enters to find a woman in labour. The room is lit by one candle, with the window broken, rain pouring in, and the bed with no proper covering. She's covered in sacks, accompanied by a neighbour, jug and basin.
By Natalie Lennard7 years ago in Families
3 Tips for Choosing a New OB-GYN
If you’re moving to a new city, pregnant, or just need an annual checkup for your women’s health matters, you’re looking for a special type of doctor. Choosing an OB-GYN is an important health care decision for a woman. You need a practitioner who can both meet your present and future needs as your body changes.
By Casey Chesterfield7 years ago in Families
Emigrating in 2019? How to Help Your Children Adjust
Moving to a whole new country is both a scary and an exciting experience. You can find a vast world of new opportunities and experiences there. However, it is bound to incite a whole lot of opposing feelings in both parents and their children. So, in order to make the move truly the best possible solution, you have to deal with these emotions, and spend time with your children. Depending on their age, it may be easier or quite difficult for them to accept the big change.
By Lucas H. Parker7 years ago in Families
