by Karen Osburn
Dear Stressed Out Over-40 Mom,
I see you.
I know who you are, because I am just like you.
I became a Mom for the first time at 41, and then again, at 44.
I know you think you’re the only Mom who is ‘older’, but you’re not.
I know you think that you’re the only one who struggled with infertility, but you are also not alone when it comes to this issue. […]
by Irene Celcer
Natalie is 16 years old, a straight-A student. She is looking into colleges and excited about leaving home. Six months ago, she began dieting: “I want to look good when I go to college and for the prom.” Natalie loses weight and at first, she seems happy. “I feel so grown up with my new clothes,” she beams!
One day, her boyfriend negatively comments on the looks of a girlfriend saying to Natalie, “ I hope you don’t gain the freshman 15.” Natalie freezes inside and reaffirms her efforts not to ever gain weight … by vowing to pursue dieting as it consumes her entire day. […]
by John M. Simmons
“Would you do it again?” What kind of a question is that? She’s my daughter! What do you mean, “Would I do it again?”
If you rushed into a burning building to rescue some of your children, and one of them was horrifically damaged before you got to her, you would still drag her out. You would do it even if you got hurt, yourself. You would do it even if she cried to be left behind because her pain was too great. As a parent, you would drag her out, against her will, kicking and screaming.
Then you would get her help. It would be the best help money could buy. You would spare nothing to help her mentally, emotionally and physically. […]
by Susan Newman, Ph.D
Adapted from Little Things Long Remembered: Making Your Children Feel Special Every Day by Susan Newman, Ph.D.
Life swirls at a hectic pace in most families today. That reality places a high premium on finding family time. But, small parcels of time well spent shape long-lasting memories that are the backbone of family unity…and the glue that holds families together.
In our digital age, it is time to go back to basics. […]
by Michelle Eisler
I can’t count how many times I have cried for the child I have waited two years to adopt. This is the child I am afraid to meet because once I see and hold him, I will not be able to forget his place in my arms, or be able to ever let him go.
Seeing updated photos of him creates intense joy and grief as his changed face reminds me of the passing of time. Some days, the only way to keep my head above my emotions longing for him is to put him to the back of my mind. But the endless list of unknowns- wondering who he’ll be when he is in our family and what he might be doing right now takes over, and I break. […]
by Michal Klau-Stevens
One afternoon I took a walk at a beautiful lake surrounded by woods with a main paved path and smaller trails through the woods. I decided to take a wooded trail, but as I moved further from the main path, the trail became less clear. I was afraid of getting lost in the woods. When I looked around me, I realized that some of the trees had blue paint marks on them.
Every few feet stood a tree with another blue mark. By following the marks, I was able to follow the trail through the woods to the main path as it circled around the lake. When I got to the main path again, I wasn’t sure which direction to walk to get back to my car. Luckily, another walker was passing by who pointed me in the right direction. If I had gotten lost, the walk could have been a disaster, but because I had signs to guide me and people to help me when I needed help, it was a wonderful experience. But, it wasn’t only the signs and the fellow walker that made the difference. I used my skills and I wasn’t afraid to ask the fellow traveler for help. I advocated for myself, and I felt confident and positive after my walk.
Navigating your way towards motherhood is a lot like that walk. You are entering unfamiliar territory, and you will have to find your way through. Whether you pursue motherhood the “old fashioned” way, or through assisted reproductive technology, adoption, surrogacy, or some other method, the steps to making informed decisions […]
by Barbara DiGangi and Meredith Silversmith
If your child has challenging behavior, where do you turn? Typically, we look to professionals at school or in the community. You might start with an evaluation, enroll your child in a program, or even qualify for in-home services, depending upon where you live.
But, what happens when the professionals don’t help? When they think they know what to do, but are actually making things worse? What if what works for some kids doesn’t work for yours?
That’s what Barbara and I asked ourselves. Every day. For four years. […]
by Maggie Lamond Simone
When my kids were younger, Halloween brought out their desires. Whether the costumes represented a superhero, a butterfly, or a Star Wars character, they typically chose embodiments that might not be quite possible in real life . . . and which made them all the more desirable.
It’s actually no different than adults. We often choose costumes that are completely different than our real selves, yet which just might – maybe, possibly – reflect a hidden desire. When the husband wears a mask to hand out candy, he often gravitates to former presidents or the devil … which, yes, now concerns me. […]
by Aviva Luria
Years ago, I read an essay by a reform rabbi explaining why she didn’t allow her children to celebrate Halloween. It’s not a Jewish holiday, she said and, in addition, she abhorred the stereotypical images of women and girls as witches and bunnies and princesses.
I wanted to admire her integrity and determination in the face of societal pressure to celebrate a holiday she had issues with, but I couldn’t help but feel only sympathy for her kids. We go to the movies that day, she said in the article, and no one else is there. It’s wonderful.
Later, when I had a child of my own in daycare, another kid’s dad told me, “We don’t celebrate Halloween. We’re Christian.”
Wow. Halloween gets it from all sides, doesn’t it? […]
by Marc Parsont
It’s difficult for me admit, but I’ve been taking my kids chocolate from their plastic pumpkins. I wish I could say it’s only a few pieces, but it’s not. I’m like a Viking raider plundering and pillaging. At least I was until my wife caught me.
Then both she and the nanny hid the kids candy. I found it. They caught me again and this time they threw the candy away, but not before I squirreled away a piece or two for a rainy day. I tell you this as a precursor and cautionary tale about my other favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. […]