Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Fatherhood
They say that there are three kinds of men when they find out that they are going to be a daddy. The first one is overwhelmed with joy the moment they find out, the second needs to see the ultrasound for reality to sink in that he will be a dad, and the third one gets his paternal instincts as soon as the baby is born in the delivery room. I was neither. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy and looking forward to fatherhood, but it did not hit me until way after he was born.
By Robert Gonzalez9 years ago in Families
My Life and How Rough It Has Been
My name is Whitney King and I am 22-years-old. Personally all the roughness of my life started when I was eight-years-old. Well that's when the actual pain started. I was abandoned by the man I thought was my biological father and finding out three months later he wasn't. So that's when the anger and self pity on myself started to flood in. I became violent and out of control to the point I could not control the anger and hate that I had towards my family and for myself. My mom had a choice to give me up and put me into the system but she didn't. She actually had them put me in a children's hospital up in Concord, California, which I did get a lot of help from. I was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder which scared my mom, my family, and it also scared me.
By Whitney King9 years ago in Families
I Don’t Sleep Well When It Snows
I Don’t Sleep Well When It Snows I don’t sleep well when it snows outside, or if they’re even calling for snow. I will force my dry and tired eyeballs to stay open until I at least see the very first flake fall to the ground. It’s like I need visual confirmation that my brain can start racing away. Then, after I’ve crept into my bed, and whilst rejoicing in the beautiful quiet the snow brings to the city, I get to reflect on all the memories I’ve had with snow.
By L.E. Harrison9 years ago in Families
My Love for My Little Girl
When I had my daughter, I never thought I would have so much love for her like this. I can't tell you how much I love my daughter. When I found out I was pregnant for the second time around, I was so excited and nervous because I already have a little boy who is a ball of energy. But when my husband and I found out that we were having a little girl, we were so happy. I always wanted a daughter ever since I was a little girl. I would dress up my dolls and rocked them to sleep. There is something about having a daughter that makes me smile and blush every day. My daughter, Isabella, can be shy, but she is a loud energetic little girl. When she gets excited, she yells and balls up her fists and shakes them. The things that she does to make me smile and laugh are priceless. When she gets older, I can see a her being a girly girl. She will be in cute little dresses and cute pink or red skirts. She will also have cute pigtails with little bows in her hair. Once she reaches that age where she needs me for things, I will be there for her when she needs me. If she wants to talk about boys, I'm always here. When the boy breaks her heart, I will be there every step of the way. Plus her father and brother, Joseph, they just might break the poor guy's neck. When she has her quinceañera, I will help her through the whole process and everything. And of course her father will, too. He will probably pay for most of the things for her quince. All she has to do give him those puppy eyes and beg her daddy for it and he will give it to her.
By Shante Hernandez9 years ago in Families
Dealing with Unsupportive Parents
You can tell people things a million times. You may even venture so far to explain to them your reasoning with valid evidence. But the bottom line is: people are going to think what they want to think. And furthermore, people can't stand to see something different from what they grew up with. They cannot relate to what is being done, therefore they cease to understand it. Instead of attempting to take the time to understand things, they block it out or pretend it doesn't exist. They try to persuade you to be something you're not despite your feelings, which should be the most important. It's not about what they want. It's about what YOU want. What keeps YOU going. In times like these, as dramatic as it may sound, "drastic times call for drastic measures."
By Rachel Ihasz9 years ago in Families
The Phone Call I Dreaded Answering
"So, How Are You?" Oh shit, is it 1 am already? Mom usually gets home around now after visiting Bibi (my grandma) and she will probably kill me if she knew I stayed up this long but hey, this essay isn't gonna write itself! Bibi seemed better tonight, she managed to whisper out "I love you" before I left for the first time in months so that must be a good sign. Will's probably tired. You know, I said I'd take the bus home but for some reason they don't trust a teenager on the bus by herself past 10 pm! The hospital's not that far though so I'm sure he doesn't mind driving us back and forth in the cold... and the dark...
By Ghezal Amiri9 years ago in Families
A Hard Rain. Top Story - January 2018.
We heard the news. On this night, my mother was in Los Angeles at a “quit smoking” resort (she still smokes.) My brother, Franz, had come to join us. Pointer, our family friend, also decided to enjoy an evening of wine and debauchery. We had two dogs, Rosy and Wahoo, a German Shepard and a Golden-Retriever respectively. My father was there too, of course. He owned the house, after all. It was a lovely two-story home in Old Metairie, an affluent neighborhood. We spent the majority of the evening watching television, and I had fallen asleep on the couch.
By Layne Radlauer9 years ago in Families
Monitoring Our Children Online
Working as a paraprofessional in an elementary school containing grade 1-6, I learn a lot about what the kids are into these days and some days I'm flat out disgusted with what these children are listening to and watching online. I was lucky enough to grow up in the generation that started out without technology being used for everything but was able to learn about technology and how important it would be in our daily lives. I also learned that technology is not the answer to all our problems but it can be useful in the appropriate situation.
By Kimberly Nightengale9 years ago in Families
Leaving the Nest
I love the question, "How are you surviving without your mom?" Or this one, "I would never survive without my mom, she does everything for me." I love the questions and statements solely because I have answers to them. To answer the question, "How are you surviving without your mom," is simple. I don't but in a way I am. Yes, I am married and living over 1,000 miles away in a different state. So you ask, how can you say you aren't surviving without your mom? I call my mom everyday. In this day and age, technology has given us the power to be able to speak to our loved ones with ease on a daily basis. If I ever have a question about finances, food, cleaning supplies, even relationship advice I know my mom is always a text or phone call away. So I do survive on my own but I will always need my momma.
By Brooke Clarke9 years ago in Families
