Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Immortality
A little kid as I was, I still remember: I tightly held onto my father's fingers, just learnt how to walk. Now, as it was my turn, I am supposed to guide her, help her get up whenever she trips. But what am I doing? Looking down at the contract that Sarah would be no more in a few days? ...and... sign it?...
By Silma Suva8 years ago in Families
A Letter to My Sister
My sister and I may not have been the best of friends growing up, but after being in college for a while, we may have made some progress over the years to be better friends than enemies. I know it is hard for siblings to get along when they are young, but making sure they are there for each other in times of relationships and life struggles is something every sibling should partake in.
By Heather Wilkins8 years ago in Families
Why My Second Husband Is My Great Love
People love to tell you high school sweetheart love stories, stories of years of perfection, struggles, and a great love. Those stories are beautiful but, often not very honest. I married my "high school sweetheart" and it was not a beautiful love story, it was hard, exhausting, and abusive. We fought like we hated the sight of each other. He wanted to be a free spirit and never experience the restrictions of a job or bills. I wanted to be a regular person, with a career and a house. It took a lot of years for me to decide, I couldn't live through it anymore. Coming home to a house that didn't have electricity but had beer became so exhausting. Working myself to death to pay for another human's habits, while supporting a family of five, became infuriating.
By Aleea Whitmire8 years ago in Families
My Mentor
Everybody has that one person that they idolize, someone that they aspire to be. For some, it is a celebrity; for others, it is an athlete; and for some, it is their own family. The person that I idolize is my grandfather. I idolize him because he lived an interesting life. My grandfather got to grow up in the 1920s, and I find that interesting because I like to ask him what things were like back then, and what his views are on today’s society. I find it interesting because he is a veteran of the Korean War, in fact he was even shot in the foot (that’s not important, I just wanted to add that).
By Walter Duke8 years ago in Families
The Truth About Single Mothers
What comes to mind when one hears the term “single Mother?” The word ‘difficulty’ is a given, and you may also consider words like ‘strength’ or ‘persistence’, and you would be correct. With the title, there is apparently a certain air of respect and honor attached, although many are using it completely wrong.
By Angela Brigance-Vance8 years ago in Families
First Time Parents
First things first Freya, you need to learn that life isn’t fair and you need to deal with it. The sooner you learn to deal with it, the sooner you will be happy. Okay, yeah, that is bollocks. Yeah, life is unfair but there are things that can be done to help reduce the level of unfairness! You need to look at it like this, it’s all about comparison. There may be others who are better off than you but there are others who are a lot worse off. Like today, Sam was at work and you were at home with Jaime, fair enough, that’s how things are and you wouldn’t have it any other way. You love spending time with her! You are so lucky to get all this time with her. Mothers in America go back to work so soon after having a baby. I’m sure so many of them would do anything to stay at home with their babies but they can’t afford it.
By Freya Walker8 years ago in Families
The Answer, the Diagnosis, the Heartbreak
After Ryder's liver biopsy clarified that he didn't have Biliary Atresia, I went through a stage of resentment. Don't get me wrong, I was beyond grateful that he wouldn't need a liver transplant, but I began to get frustrated with the hospital. I didn't have much confidence that we would get our answer with the genetics test because initially, his liver specialist requested the test for "Alagille Syndrome". Both his dad and I did some research and looked more into this genetic disorder, and the symptoms simply did not match with our son. I thought this genetics test would end up being a waste of time. About a month after his test, I received a call from his liver specialist. The results were in and as I suspected he didn't have Alagille Syndrome. What his specialist did seem concerned about was something called a "Pex1 Gene." It's a shortened term for Peroxisomes, which is an important organelle found in all eukaryotic cells. They are involved in the catabolism of very long chain fatty acids, branched chain fatty acids. This Pex1 gene is basically an important part of all major organ systems to function properly. What this test showed was that Ryder had an elevated amount of "Long chain fatty acids" which meant there was a mutation in his Pex1 Gene. His specialist said not to worry just yet, they were going to send his results to a geneticist to see if there was any concern. He said, "There are people walking around every day with highly elevated long chain fatty acids that function normally and don't know." The phone call ended with me being a bit confused but I wasn't too worried being that his specialist wasn't worried just yet.
By Kayleigh Sayer8 years ago in Families
Becoming a Single Parent
Single parenting is often the result of engaging in unprotected sex in the heat of a moment. For some women, this may be a welcoming life-altering experience although it involves raising a child alone. There are also those women who view this experience as unwelcoming because of the obvious changes and priorities must be reevaluated. I have often heard from my elders that the best way to avoid becoming a single parent is complete abstinence until marriage. Overall, I knew this belief was true because I had attended junior high school and high school with pregnant teenagers, most of whom had boyfriends who had abandoned them once they realized a baby was on the way.
By Nathonia Smith8 years ago in Families
False Accusations and the Harm It Can Cause
I will never forget the feeling. My heart sank and I felt all the tears gush into the corners of my eyes. Why was this happening? What did I do wrong? What's going to happen? No, not my babies. I couldn't focus. A voicemail left saying, "This is Child Protective Services. We need to speak to you."
By Ash astrid8 years ago in Families
Non-Profit Organization
I have an idea for a non-profit, which is to establish a non-profit as well as shelter, dedicated to helping people escape abusive families, as well as get on or off disability. This non-profit would serve people who have disabilities in my community but not have an attitude about it like Momentum for Mental Health or NAMI. Such non-profits have an “uppity” air about them as if your disability matters way too much. I need to staff my non-profit with staffers who understand my mission is to serve disabled people. The non-profit would need to compile resources such as staff, as well as a shelter location.
By Iria Vasquez-Paez8 years ago in Families
