Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
The Sh*t They Don't Tell You: Lesson #5
Losing Your Shit. You're standing there, telling yourself that if you hear "Mommy!" one more time today, you're going to explode. You're crying on the bathroom toilet with a Snickers bar hanging halfway out of your mouth, knowing that if you hear one more request to watch that damned Paw Patrol episode, you're going to have yourself a conniption. You're rushing everybody out the door only to find your three-year-old standing in the room butt naked (but at least she has shoes on!) and YOU LOSE YOUR SHIT.
By Tiffany Wade8 years ago in Families
Learning for the Future
A few days had strung together consisting of our three-year-old, Ellis, becoming what I like to refer to as a demon child. For some reason, this demon seems to appear as soon as I get home from work. I understand that it's the end of the day and she is tired, which definitely has a huge control over any kid's behavior. What I began to realize, however, is the way it can control my own behavior. It instantly puts me in a bad mood, frustrated from being at work all day, driving in traffic, excited to see the wife and kids, yet having to now deal with her attitude. It's my own attitude that has led me down the path of spending my evening hours correcting her behavior and putting her on timeouts or threatening that some toy would be taken away. There's no way to reason with a pissed off toddler, no matter how calm you are as a dad, especially when they are just as stubborn and strong-willed as you are.
By Jeffrey Engelage8 years ago in Families
Blue Jay
The road to the Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota seemed like it went on for an eternity. I was four, and I could not grasp the significance of what was happening. Although I do not remember everything, I know it was the end of 2002 or the beginning of 2003. The adults would only tell me that Jay was sick, so I did not understand why this was such a big deal to everyone. The hospital was tremendous and was filled with many different rooms. The ceilings towered high above me. Years later, it felt strange going back to the Children's Hospital and realizing how small it actually is. That day, we were going to visit my 10-year-old cousin.
By Almárëa Laurësil8 years ago in Families
Light
September 3, 2017 The Initiative. July 24, 1987 I had turned 9 nearly two months prior and as I held a balloon that my mom had given me earlier that day during the parade, I sat on the side of the hill at Liberty Park awaiting the fireworks that were scheduled to start in the next few minutes.
By Wendy Finau8 years ago in Families
What It Is Like Having a Gay Activist Uncle
My uncle is my inspiration for being a part of the LGBTQ community because he conducts himself with dignity, and if he knows you feel a certain way about a subject, he discusses it with you instead of tensing up and getting defensive. He is what I aspire to be daily when I try to have conversation with someone. He currently is in and out of Ireland conducting research and trying to promote the LGBTQ community as best as he can.
By May Bainter8 years ago in Families
The Second Time Around
Leonard poured his coffee into the old, cracked mug his son had made him, slow and steady as the hot steam fogged his glasses. He could hear the pitter-patter of the rain against his kitchen window – slow and steady. He carefully lifted the warm mug to his dry, leather lips. Leonard was turning seventy in three days. Three days and he would be over the hill, or was it under the hill? He scratched his head and took another sip of coffee. Most days he loved to hear the sound of the rain bouncing off the windowpane, but not today. Today he felt angry and tired, more tired than usual. He gently lifted himself from the kitchen table and shuffled over to the phone. For a second, he thought about calling his son. Then, for another second longer, he thought about calling his doctor. He took a deep breath in and then out. He knew neither call would make him feel any better. But still he picked up the phone, listening to the dial tone hum and hum until he couldn’t take the humming anymore. He hung up the receiver and promised himself, out loud, that tomorrow he would call his son, Victor. Tomorrow they would talk just like old times and tomorrow, maybe, Victor wouldn’t hate him anymore.
By Camille LeZotte8 years ago in Families
Fickle Fifteen
The day was scorching, just like the day before it. The air always feels hotter in the Dominican Republic for some reason. My mom bought my flight the day before, assuring me that my school work would be fine, that the trip would only be for a few days, and that I had to go say my final goodbyes to my great-grandma, who by the way was more alive than ever staring at me from across the table. I tried to find a way to address the elephant in the room; the fact that it's the middle of the school week, my grandma isn't dying, and yet here I am. I hear the phone ring and thank God for the break in the tension. It's for me. I race over to the phone hoping someone was going to let me in on the big secret soon; nobody has explained anything to me since I got off the plane.
By Cristal Hernandez8 years ago in Families
Marriage on the Brain
As a mother of a seven year old, you would think that the normal dinner conversation would be about video games and toys. Nope, not my seven year old. My son Mikyle is smart for his age and very advanced, he was surrounded by a lot of adults as a toddler. His sarcastic charm made his personality. Now I’m going to take you back to when it all started. One day leaving the staff nursery, we said goodbye to a little girl and her mom. The little girl moved in to give Mikyle a kiss, but he didn’t realize and he slightly moved and she mistakenly kisses him on the lips. Shocked and embarrassed Mikyle, started to freak out and shouts, “Oh no I kissed Hannah on the lips now I have to ask her dad for her hand in marriage and I have to get a job I can’t go to pre-K.” I told him it’s ok it was a accident and he’s not in trouble and that it doesn’t mean he has to marry her. He says, “If you kiss someone on the lips you have to marry them." The parents and I joked about it before I took my embarrassed Mikyle home. That’s when things started to get serious for him about marriage and love.
By Ayanna Dore8 years ago in Families
