parents

The boundless love a parent has for their child is matched only by their capacity to embarrass them.

A Necessary Conversation About Rape
I remember the most awkward conversation I had with my daughter was on the subject of rape. I approached her stoically, yet awkwardly, and told her that we needed to have a serious conversation. She was 10 years old. She seemed too young and innocent for such an adult subject, but unfortunately, children have a much higher risk of being sexually victimized than we would ever like to acknowledge. I needed to be clear but not graphic—to say just enough that she knew how to protect herself without giving her nightmares.
By Jesse Leea day ago in Families
My Teenager Threw Yogurt on the Floor, and I Finally Understood the Anger
The plastic bag hit the floor before I understood what had happened. A strawberry yogurt rolled to the shoe cabinet. The lid split. White liquid ran into the grout. My son yelled, “You don’t understand me at all,” and slammed his door. The school ID hanging behind it swung twice.
By Jina day ago in Families
The Door Was Unlocked: What Parents Can Give a Daughter When They Have Little Money but Clear Rules
Chen Sui was thirteen when her parents argued in the kitchen. A bowl knocked against the sink. She stood in the doorway, fingers curled around the frame. Her mother turned. “This is grown-up business. Go do your homework.” Her father said nothing. He put out his cigarette. She went to her room. They kept arguing. No one called her in to decide who was right.
By Jin3 days ago in Families
The Sister I Carry
Michelle has the kind of green eyes people envy. Not hazel. Not brown‑green. Not “they look green in the sunlight.” Just green — clear, bright, impossible. The kind of green that makes people pause mid‑sentence.
By Syl De'Vil3 days ago in Families
The Men at the Marriage Market Never Read the Back of My Paper
She sat on a plastic chair in the marriage market at People’s Park. The chair had a crack down the middle, taped with packing tape. In front of her lay an A4 sheet. Her mother had printed it. The third line read: “Requirement: no cohabitation history.” A man in a polo shirt stopped, scanned the page, and said, “This condition is good. Girls these days are too casual.” She said nothing. She turned the paper over. On the back was her résumé: born 1996, master’s from a 985 university, investment bank in Lujiazui, annual salary 800,000 RMB. The man did not look at the back. He walked on to the next umbrella.
By Jin4 days ago in Families
The Mother’s Day Gift My Mom Remembered for 20 Years
When I came across this beautiful reminder, it immediately brought back a memory of my mother and a lesson she taught me without even realizing it.
By Debbie's Reflection7 days ago in Families
Why I Left My Mom- Melissa is Born
Warning: Mentions of abortion, child birth complications, and proper medical terms to go with it. Once again, I do not want to censor anything and tell the story as it is. Reader discretion is advised.
By Melissa Leigh9 days ago in Families
Why I Left My Mom- Chapter One: My Mother's History
Warning: This next chapter contains uncomfortable subjects like mentions of incest, child sodomy, life threatening accidents. I am trying to do my best to continue telling my mother's story without censors, as it should be told this way. Reader's discretion advised.
By Melissa Leigh10 days ago in Families
My Child Was Bullied At School! Why Are Some Kids So Cruel?
I’ll never forget the first day I was bullied at school. I was sitting on the ground eating my packed lunch when two boys suddenly shoved me from behind, sending me crashing onto the concrete and scraping my hands. But that wasn’t the worst of it.
By Simon Aylward11 days ago in Families
Why I Hate Shannon . Content Warning.
I remember it like it was yesterday, the moment when I lost all respect for Shannon, saw what she was. It was a year or two after my husband's ex-wife had sent their children to us with such a raging lice infestation that I had to wash everything in the house. His daughter's infestation was so bad that we had to cut her hair to get it under control. She had been trying to grow her hair long for over a year. I felt so terrible for her that I had all of my hair cut off, too.
By Harper Lewis 11 days ago in Families
Thankful again for the little things
I know. I know. It's a cliché title. But I wasn't exactly sure what else to call this piece. There have been some people wondering how I'm doing. After all, giving birth is a life changing experience, and my experience was anything but simple.
By Jessica Freeborn12 days ago in Families
You Can’t Inherit a Network: What The Godfather Gets Right About Power, Loyalty, and the Names in Your Phone
At Vito Corleone’s funeral, men lined up to kiss Michael’s hand. Their lips touched his skin. Their eyes went to the door. Tessio bent low and murmured that he had arranged the meeting with Barzini. Michael nodded. Tessio straightened his coat and walked away. The wind pushed the funeral flowers. The kiss worked like a receipt. It recorded a debt. It did not record love.
By Jin12 days ago in Families