parents

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

"The Way We Talk to Our Children Becomes Their Inner Voice": How Words Shape Identity and Resilience
Every morning offers a fresh start, a new opportunity to shape the emotional landscape of a child’s life. As Becky Mansfield reflects on her oldest son turning 17, she underscores a profound truth in parenting that echoes the famous quote by Peggy O’Mara: "The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice." These words do not just vanish into the air after a conversation ends; they settle deep within a child’s psyche, eventually becoming the internal narrator that guides their self-perception, decision-making, and resilience for the rest of their lives.
By Mark Lim 2 months ago in Families
My Brain Tumor
I had been getting these mind-splitting headaches for a few days already. The thoughts ran through my mind because, of course, I am a worrier. Maybe there was something wrong with my eyes. I was having sensitivity issues. It could have been severe tension, though I was not feeling tense.
By Alexandra Grant2 months ago in Families
Delayed Response
When do babies say their first word: at one year or at one and a half years? How about at two? Well, my son had not uttered a word, and he was two and a half. My husband and I had no point of reference.
By Alexandra Grant2 months ago in Families
Covid conversations
“Good morning!” I yell and wave. It is the middle of the night on my side of the phone. The blinds are down. The light is on. It’s quiet with the television off.
By AggieSoon2 months ago in Families
She is a Wilderness
Good morning everyone! I hope everybody had a fantastic week. I know mine was great. One of my favourite things about being a parent is the little moments. Sure the big moments are great too like the first steps, graduating Kindergarten, birthdays, and all the big things that we will remember. In my opinion, it is the little things that happen as a parent that stick with you the longest.
By Chloe Unfiltered2 months ago in Families
A Day on The Road
Brynn and I set out early in the morning. Our first stop was at 9:00 a.m. A conversation with my last elder for my book. We were there until 11:30. I thought Bryn would be bored but she enjoyed the elders cat Jack. She also enjoyed listening to the stories told.
By Denise E Lindquist2 months ago in Families
Caring for Aging Parents as an Only Child: What No One Warns You About
Caring for Aging Parents as an Only Child: What No One Warns You About When there are no siblings to share the decisions, caregiving requires more than love. It requires planning, boundaries, and a support system you build intentionally.
By Jose Mejia2 months ago in Families
Dear Dad,
It has been thirteen years since we last spoke, or saw each other. I closed the door. I walked away. It has taken me these many years to grow up and to process so many things: the anger, the hurt, the confusion. I know that I am one in a million others who come from broken families, but we all deal with our damage differently. I couldn't see you any more. I had children of my own and I didn't trust you not to hurt them as you did me. You never hurt us physically, I'll give you that, but you broke us, nonetheless. These are the words that I wish I could have told you, that I could have expressed, all those years ago. I suppose that this is my purge of feeling.
By Eda Marie2 months ago in Families
The Thing About Cancer...
The thing about cancer is that everyone believes they understand it until it finds someone they love. Before my mother became ill, cancer was something I had only heard about through fundraisers, awareness campaigns, and stories on the evening news. I knew it was devastating. I knew people died from it every day. I knew families gathered around hospital beds and prayed for miracles. Like most people, I believed I understood the weight of the word.
By Megan Janousek2 months ago in Families
On Drives.
On Long Drives I just had my 17-year anniversary of becoming a Texan (by address, if nothing else.) Daily, I don’t understand how I have been here almost two decades, because A, how is that possible and B, I can’t possibly be that old now.
By Morgan Longford2 months ago in Families
MOM AND THE HELM
MOM AND THE HELM She swept them away ! ! ! Mom had the whackiest sense of humor. She enjoyed making others laugh and often at her own expense. She said that if you can’t find humor in yourself, you shouldn’t look for it in others.
By Margaret Brennan2 months ago in Families
The Tortoise on the Sixth Floor
My mother’s name is Margaret. She is ninety years old. She lives alone in a red-brick walk-up in Queens, on the sixth floor.
By Jin2 months ago in Families