Healthy family relationships, like a healthy diet, are everything. Being a teenager is hard. Parenting a teenager is hard. The closest thing we have to a handbook is the Center for Parent and Teen Communication. Where was this when my dad and I were butting heads in the 80s? I am … [Read more...] about From Helicopter Parent to Lighthouse Parent
motherhood
America is Still Burning.
To my sons, Bird and Deal, America is still burning. Do not look away. In less than a week's time we lost a Supreme Court Justice and our sense of justice. We are ruth-less in a world without Ruth Bader Ginsburg and we are ruthless in a world that took Breonna Taylor's … [Read more...] about America is Still Burning.
Happy 17th Birthday, Bird!
My son is a fierce protector of the proletariat. His brain works in ways I cannot comprehend, and it's no secret he's always six steps ahead of me. To be honest, half the time I nod my head and pretend to know what he's talking about. He is deep. He poses questions that … [Read more...] about Happy 17th Birthday, Bird!
On the Eve of the First Day of School – 2020 Edition
Dear Bird and Deal, I usually write you a letter before the beginning of the school year to tell you what I hope the year ahead holds for you. My feelings are more complex and jumbled this year. Even as a writer, I struggle to put words to my emotions. I can’t quite name what … [Read more...] about On the Eve of the First Day of School – 2020 Edition
Happy 15th Birthday, Deal!
a My baby boy is 15 now. He's about to get his driver's permit (Lord, help me!). I swear I can fit both my feet into one of his sneakers. He indulges me. He cracks me up. He started talking late but has not stopped. His patience comes from within because I surely have not … [Read more...] about Happy 15th Birthday, Deal!
Who’s looking after the mothers?
Motherhood takes the form of many hats, not all of them flattering or comfortable, but each uniquely necessary. Who's looking after the mothers? We talk about "self care" because there's no one but us to do it. And yes, sometimes the language of motherhood is martyrdom. In the … [Read more...] about Who’s looking after the mothers?
When There’s a Will, There’s a Way
Death isn't something we talk about comfortably. We particularly eschew the subject in our American culture. It's admittedly not pleasant, but it's so very vital. I spent ten years volunteering with pediatric bone marrow transplant patients so I unfortunately dealt with death in … [Read more...] about When There’s a Will, There’s a Way