As a kid I loved playing outside everyday. What kid doesn’t, right? Anywho I lived in an apartment complex that wasn’t that big and it went around in one big circle. Me and my sister had a “clique.” We would run around and play with basically all the kids our age that shared our adventurous nature. It was mostly all girls but we were pretty wild if I’m being honest. We were the kids having crab apple fights in the neighborhood. Anyway, we lived at the bottom of the complex so we would walk up the hill gathering friends as we passed their doors. We knocked on our closest friends' door: sisters Zaria, Zharia and Makiya. We were super excited when their mom said they could come outside because this wasn’t very often. There was a grassy field we played in on the side of their building (they weren’t allowed to go far). I remember vividly randomly dancing and running around happy go lucky, when all of a sudden someone screamed these life changing words: "tag you're it!" Before I could even react, I was tagged. I stumbled back a little and somehow managed to land on one side of a sewer cover. It just so happens it was loose. I was a pretty small, slender kid so I slide right through and got stuck in between one side. I just remember breath leaving my body and kids screaming. I was immediately pulled out by my friends. I got up gasping to catch my breath. Everyone dispersed to tell their parents what they just witnessed. I decided I had a long day and I would head home to tell my mom. I looked down on my side and noticed a large scratch from the metal. I ran in the house yelling “mom, mom I just fell in the sewer!" (at the time I really believed I did). I also realized I didn’t know how to communicate what just happened to me. I'm pretty sure I consulted my sister on how to tell my mom or if I should even tell her. Nevertheless my mother looked at me like any parent of a wild child and said “okay Cici." She did not believe a word I said. Either that or she saw that I was fine. Most likely she figured it wasn’t as traumatic and dramatic as I made it seem. Oh but it was. Ever since that day, I could never walk over any sewer of any kind. I would literally be walking down the street and walk around every single sewer. I must have been 18 when I finally got over this fear of falling in a sewer and not ending up so lucky, like I was when I was a child. I look back at this today in all of my 22 years of life. This untold story always makes me laugh and appreciate the fact that I am okay! I realize that kids aren’t as crazy as we think they are and we really need to listen to them more. Something so small can cause childhood trauma that can carry on to adulthood trauma. I am thankful I was able to get over this. Although I wished for comfort and nurture in that moment, I was never angry at my mother for not believing me. I understand how it can be with kids. I would love to help change the narrative of kids so there will open lines of healthy communication. I really appreciate you reading this and hope it has made impacted you in a positive way!

On Halloween, the Original Objective Hater greets his audience with a seasonal salute to the holiday. There exist plenty of topics on the docket. But Star hones in on thoughts on rebellious teen girls. Ronnie says young girls and women sometimes want to be lost. Ronnie also states that girls become unruly because of peer pressure, a lack of attention, an effort to seek attention, and a “growing pain” out of which they eventually phase.

Hello everyone. As I go about my daily living, I can't help but notice the amount of kids with smartphones and/or tablets. I have seen kids as young as two or three with a tech device in tow. Most of what I see them doing is watching a silly, nonessential cartoon, playing mobile games, and listening to songs.

No child wants to believe that their father isn’t a good man. About 70 percent of little kids believe that her daddy is this perfect man that will walk her down the aisle with tears in his eyes. That his daddy will hug him with pride at the altar. They all believe that their daddy is this great knight on a white horse, that will always come and save them. This is for the other 30 percent. This is for the little girls and boys who lay in bed at night, wondering where their dad is. This is for the little girls who believe that they will never be enough, because they weren’t enough to make their father stay. This is for the little boys who have to hide their pain with bitterness or anger, because they don’t have a father to guide them. This is for the little girls that don’t have a daddy to tell them they are precious, beautiful, smart, and perfect, despite the cruel words of boys. This is for the little boys that watch other boys toss a ball back and forth with their dad. This is for the little girls that listen to their friend's dad call them "princess." This is for the little boys that had to learn to shoot their first basket by themselves, and learn how to hit a ball by themselves. This is for the little girls that struggle to not cry when other kids are making Father’s Day cards. This is for the little boys that had to learn how to shave by themselves. This is for the little girls that question every guy's motive and words. This is for the kids that grew up hating Father’s Day, because it's the day that reminds them sharply that they don’t have a dad that cared enough to stay. This is for those kids that live with that devastating feeling of abandonment every day. The strong kids that get up every day, despite the crippling pain of believing they are not enough. The brave kids that still love, despite the fear of being rejected like they were by their daddy. This is for the amazing kids that don’t yet realize that they will always be enough. This is for the kids that don’t know that they are beautiful, handsome, smart, precious, and worthy of everything the world has to offer. This is for the kids that don’t yet realize that their father's mistakes and choices do not define them or their worth. This is for those kids. I know it hurts. I know that feeling of abandonment destroys a little piece of you every day. I know how it feels, thinking that your father doesn’t love you. I know the pain you live with every day. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry. But I need you to know something: You are loved. You are treasured. You are precious. You are beautiful. You are handsome. You are smart. You are worthy. And you deserve so much more than what your father gave. And one day, someone is going to see what your father didn’t and they are going to love every piece of you.

When I was a kid, I really looked forward to every single holiday, as I knew what it meant for me. A lot of delicious food, a lot of presents, mostly toys, and the whole family in one place. I look forward to them even now, of course, as things have stayed pretty much the same, except that I don’t get toys anymore. Over the years, holidays have come to mean a lot more to me, as I always get the feeling of belonging somewhere, and not being alone. I always wondered if that’s everything about holidays that makes me happy, or is there something more. If you’ve had these kinds of thoughts as well, keep reading and find out what’s so special about holidays that boosts our happiness.

She was not at all what I expected. After reading part of her manuscript, I assumed she would be meek, timid, small and quiet. She was nothing like that. She was filled with happiness, magnetic, joyous yet calm and grounded. She laughed easily and made people feel comfortable in her presence. She was likable and filled with positive energy.

Welcoming a new member into your family is one of the most exciting moments, and one of the purest joys that you will ever experience. But, as any parent will tell you, it is also an incredibly stressful experience!

Because the world needs more mummy bloggers.

I remember living in this big, spacious house. There was space to run inside as if the front yard and the backyard weren't enough. Me and my sister, being only one year apart from each other, were often running or dancing or climbing things.

Today was the first day that the Davis pools were open during the afternoon. Coincidentally, it was also the first truly hot day in the valley. The high reached into the mid-90s for the first time this season.

Hear me out before you start to judge and make assumptions. I was addicted to the pain, the lies and how he hurt me. I loved it so much it kept me going. Cryptic and morbid? it may seem so. Let me give you an inside look at the hell I’ve endured because I loved him so. Untouched and pushed to the side; it was normal for nine years. He didn’t know how to love me. I was his sex object and punching bag.

Families have so many options to keep their children active, but we know you have a lot on your plate. You constantly juggle personal and professional responsibilities. We understand how busy you are, so here are five tips to keep your kids active.