Midlife Mothers Archives - Page 8 of 16

Bat Mitzvah Revisited

by Randi Hoffman

Sitting at my computer in my bedroom I can hear an old man screaming at my daughter. He says, “Get back here! You are being very disrespectful!” She is sitting at her father’s desk in the living room, crying and staring at the ground. The normally cordial and gentle rabbi is on Skype attempting to go over her Torah portion with her. She had gone on a quest searching the apartment for Wite Out without informing him, leaving him looking at an empty chair. This is not a good situation, and I have a feeling it will end badly. […]

Managing, Not Marking Time

by Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D., and Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D.

Do you sometimes feel like time is getting away from you? I make list after list of what I want to accomplish each day – and often get a large chunk completed – but never seem to get everything done. Now that I make my lists on my PDA, it’s easier to just change the date and roll the reminders over to the next day. Yet the sense of satisfaction that I feel when I do finish a project is a great motivator to become more focused so that I can attain more of my goals each day. […]

The Advantages in Being An Only Child of an Older Mother (Part I)

by Serena Kirby

Whether as a result of increased fatigue or decreased fertility, the reality is that many later in life mums have only one child.

“Spoilt Brat”, “Little Emperor” or simply “The Boss”, these are just some of the phrases often attached to the only child. Add to that the belief that loneliness goes hand-in-hand with the single-child and it’s no wonder some older mothers feel guilt and regret for the sibling-less life of their one and only. […]

November

by Maggie Lamond Simone

Trick or Truth

by Wendy Sue Noah

It’s Halloween time! And, oh, how my kids love this holiday. It is a time for them to be as creative as possible with their costumes, have fun surprising people (who is really behind that costume?) and being scared at our town’s annual haunted house.

Though us adults get dressed up sometimes, it is mostly a kid- holiday. In some ways, more significantly, adults celebrate the concept of Halloween year-round. What do I mean by that? […]

The Chicken Back Syndrome

by Ann Sheybani

When did we women decide that everyone else should come first? Who proclaimed it our job to guarantee the pleasure of others and settle for whatever crumbs fall off their plates?

I’ve come to call this compulsion the Chicken Back Syndrome: preparing a chicken dinner, encouraging our husbands and children to take the best pieces—the breast, thighs and legs—and insisting that we actually like the chicken back best. Somehow, without question, everyone believes we’re just crazy enough to prefer bones and gristle. After awhile, we even convince ourselves that those tiny scraps of meat buried between the ribs are worth the effort. […]

Yes, You Can

by Sophie Walker

To begin this article with a confession: when it comes to your child, I don’t know what I’m talking about.

Because I have written a book about my child, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, I am often asked to suggest advice to parents in similar situations. And I’m always really happy to do so because I know from experience how hard it can be to find the right kind of support. […]

New Midlife Mothers Needed

by John Simmons

Julia, Marina, Sarah reunion

Next to my wife, I have a favorite midlife mother. We don’t share a language, religion, political views or even a continent. The things we have in common are our daughters, who were once sisters-of-circumstance at the Partizansk Children’s Home. Though we have only spoken on a couple of occasions, Natalia and I consider each other to be true friends; friends who can relate to a long and rocky road that we would travel again in a heartbeat. […]

Parenting After Weiner-gate: Talking to Your Kids About Lying

by Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D., and Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D.

Anthony Weiner is no longer front-page news now that he has again been disgraced by his behavior. As a parent what can you make from Weinergate, that perfect storm mix of politics, power, sexting and lying?

The media frenzy over the ex-Congressman’s behavior provides a clear teachable moment for our teens. Given the dramatic effects of the inappropriate messages and photos he sent and the devastating results of his untruthful words, we can talk to our kids about the serious consequences of making bad decisions. […]

A Child of My Own

by Michelle Eisler

I was walking through an antique store and a lady approached me to say how adorable my daughter was and, that now that I had adopted, I would get pregnant and have a child of my ‘own.’ I had not met her, spoken to her about my road to adoption, or about infertility and if it played a role in my world. But she continued to tell me her friend had finally given up and adopted, and then she got pregnant. […]