Top Stories

Stories in Families that you'll love, handpicked by our team.

Husbandry. Top Story - April 2023.
Bear with me. What I thought was a chance encounter with a fellow toddler turned out to be more important than I ever thought at the time, and even for the first sixteen-plus years of my life, didn't fully figure out. I'll tell it to you as I remember it now, not as my tiny brain recorded it then.
By Meredith Harmon3 years ago in Families
Meeting in the Middle. Top Story - April 2023.
I am embarrassed to say that I am not great at playing with my daughter. From what I hear from other parents, that’s not uncommon, but it’s still frustrating and it gives me a pretty serious case of mom guilt. When she was a baby, it was easy. All had to do was jingle some keys or give the teddy bear a silly voice. Now things are more complicated. Don’t get me wrong, she has plenty of friends in her classes and around the neighborhood. I am happy to send her outside to play with them whenever possible. I wish that was enough, because I am usually too exhausted to play.
By Leslie Writes3 years ago in Families
He Chose to Chance the Rapids. Top Story - March 2023.
“You were his favorite uncle, you know.” My sister's words felt like an ice pick straight to the heart. It wasn't her fault; she had meant to make me feel better. On that day, sitting there with my siblings, the surge of emotion was too much to hold back, especially after the stress of the past 48 hours. I couldn't respond, for fear that the dam would break.
By Dana Crandell3 years ago in Families
Touching Hearts. Top Story - February 2023.
A heart is a universal symbol for love – especially on Valentine’s Day. February is also American Heart Month. Raising heart disease awareness carries a deeper meaning for me because my mom, who was my best friend, died of heart failure on January 6 last year after a seven-year battle with lung and heart disease.
By Lori Melton4 years ago in Families
Black History When You're "Not Quite" Black. Top Story - February 2023.
Being mixed race is a funny place to be during Black History Month. And I don’t mean funny in the “ha ha” sort of way. I mean funny in the sense that it’s a strange place to be.
By Misty Rae4 years ago in Families
The Wind. Top Story - January 2023.
“Why?” I shouted into the wind. “Because this was not yours to have,” the wind answered back. “I don’t understand!” I shouted to the wind.
By Dee Henderson 4 years ago in Families
Drive The Cold Winter Away. Top Story - December 2022.
For many years, the name "Ebenezer Scrooge", or sometimes merely "Scrooge", had been the byword for 'cruel', 'miserly', 'ill company' and 'cold-hearted'.
By Natasja Rose4 years ago in Families
When The Lights Go Out. Top Story - December 2022.
I see you, mama. Your unwashed hair tied loosely in a chaotic bun. Dark circles and bags ringed beneath your tired eyes, the energy you reserved for your appearance repurposed to surviving till nap time. Your sweatpants and loose t-shirt still bear yesterday's stains, maybe even the days' before that. Even now, the laundry shoots its accusing glare as it continues to pile, unwashed, unfolded. You never imagined it could be this hard, this exhausting, this monotonous.
By Kelly Robertson4 years ago in Families
Fox News Can I Have My Parents Back Now Please?. Top Story - December 2022.
Author's preface: This is a repost of an article I published on an alternate yet eerily similar web publishing platform way back in 2017. It includes an addendum I later made to it in response to my own serious concerns about the way my parents were portrayed. I am republishing this now along with a companion post that is linked here because I think that together the two articles make for a compelling story. One (this one) a lighthearted and humorous tale that I ended up very much regretting, and the other, which describes why I felt that way and what I tried to do about it.
By Everyday Junglist4 years ago in Families
LULA. Top Story - December 2022.
Susan smiled, putting her mobile on the kitchen table. ‘That's it. Dolores says we've been matched. They have a child they want us to meet next week.’
By Agathos Daimon4 years ago in Families
Bonding With a Baby: Stay Calm When It Comes Slowly. Top Story - November 2022.
‘Would I jump in front of a bus for her yet?’ I sat bleary eyed in the living room. The question nagged me. Yet another night brought yet another battle trying to get my infant daughter to sleep. At one point I’d jostled little Sprocket just so for an hour — not just side to side, that doesn’t do it you see, it has to be up and down too — and finally gotten her to sleep. I very carefully, an inch at a time, lowered her into the bassinet, carefully extracted my arm, and with joy looked at my sleeping daughter.
By R. Justin Freeman4 years ago in Families
horseback riding + therapy . Top Story - September 2022.
One of the programs that helped Abby the most was her horseback riding Technically, she participates in Specialized Equine Therapy and it is a bit different than the typically hippotherapy.
By EMandKids | AmazingAbigailGrace4 years ago in Families