Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Great Uncle Claude's
The last place that Catlin wanted to be that Saturday was in the stuffy attic of her great uncle’s farmhouse. She let out a big sigh and lifted another box off the ground, moving it in to the light. Her father walked past her and patted her shoulder, smiling down at her. She scowled back at him and returned her attention to the box. Her Great Uncle Claude had been something of a godfather to her, though her family wasn’t particularly religious. He was present at all the important moments of her life, her first birthday, her first day of school, her first driver’s test – which she had failed, and he had confided that he too had failed his first attempt. And then he’d let her drive his brand new V8 Camaro to the beach and back as a show of confidence in her ability. Catlin had secretly hoped that Claude would be around to walk her down the aisle alongside her father. But that was a dream she’d let go of six months ago when Claude had succumbed to his questionable lifestyle choices, dying of a heart attack at the age of 68.
By Lauren Penfound5 years ago in Families
Quarantine Mom Talks
Having children during a Quarantine is hard. When you think about mom's you think: Love, Understanding, Someone who cooks, cleans and keeps everyone happy. But you rarely see how she really feels. When you is trying to juggle homeschool work along side of school work for the virtual homebound child. She is struggling to keep her cool because her children are falling apart and crying. She wants so badly to take all the stress and struggle off of their little shoulders and do it for them. But she can't because they have to learn it and soak it all in. She guides them the best she can in teaching them what they need to know for that lesson or that project. She gives them the confidence they need, even though she is struggling to keep it together. She feel's like there is non-stop cleaning to do everyday. She wants to just take a moment to herself but she knows if she does she will be behind on cleaning. She is struggling to keep herself together because she has to help everyone else. Once dinner comes along and she now has to get that going, she is struggling to find the energy to figure out her dinner plan for the night. Even when she had a plan for dinner set up the night before, now it just seems like too big of a task. But she pulls herself together and gets dinner going for her husband and children. When her husband gets home from work, he is tired from the day. She tells him to go do what he needs to relax, even though she is thinking in the back of her head how she wants a moment to relax. Dinner is ready and now it is time for them to eat, but mom doesn't sit down to eat until everyone has plates and drinks. Once she gets that moment, then comes the kids who have devoured their food asking question after question. She calmly answers those questions, even if her food is getting cold. She has one child who is still in the midst of getting the hang of using the bathroom. So when that child needs to go mom is to the rescue to make sure they are doing fine in there. After dinner plates are cleared from the table and the kitchen is cleaned from cooking and eating. Here comes the baths/showers and bedtime routine. At this point mom is just ready to lay down and is exhausted from the day, but she finishes out bedtime routines and tucking the little one's into bed. When she finally lays down to relax before closing her eyes, here comes a child scared to go to sleep. Mom picks up the child and reassures them that there is nothing to be afraid of in the house. Mom will tuck the child in, sit on the side of the bed and rub their back until they fall asleep. At this point it is almost midnight and there is no way she will get all the sleep she needs for the next day. But she lays down in bed, prays for her children to have restful sleep and her husband to have a safe day at work the next morning and then she closes her eyes. This is a life of a mother who during this Quarantine has had to adjust her whole life to 3 or more children being home with her having school that has to be done. It is a tough job for her right now. All she will need is your love and understanding. She wants to feel appreciated and know she is doing a good job. Sometimes just hearing those words will make all her hard work seem worth it. Seeing her children smiling and knowing they are loved also gives her the boost she needs. Be kind to everyone especially moms because right now more than anything, they are struggling.
By Adria Gray5 years ago in Families
The End of Cherry Season
The End of Cherry Season I was scribbling furiously in my small black notebook. I was sitting in our beat-up barn on a stack of haybales. The horses grunted softly next to me and the air was filled with the smell of fresh hay, packed dirt, and oats that were in the trough next to me. The hay formed a cushion around me, protecting me from the early spring chill along with my tough canvas work jacket.
By Lauren Judith Barclay5 years ago in Families
Flowers for Martha
Flowers for Martha The snow was swirling frantically about her head as Brianna walked the half mile home from her daily shift at the local cafe. “Someday”, she thinks to herself, “ I will find a better job, a better place to live and change my life”. The cold tugging at her face as she grips her coat tighter around her. She finally manages to make it home only to find her power has been knocked out by the snowstorm. She screams to herself, “There has to be something better for me”!
By Robin Hardy5 years ago in Families
White
Coming up the icy track my boot slipped upon the rocks stained red with iron. The eroded mesas were fiercely lined with snow, white and martian. Over my shoulder the sun was inching closer to the mountain line, only an hour or so left to get out of the valley before the cold and darkness would make it impossible to return to the shelter. I checked the laces on my boot, and picked the packed snow from the grooves. Everyone thinks the winter is silent. Everyone thinks that snow is white. I heard the far off pacing of the mountain goats, causing the stirred fall of crumbling shale. The bears were all in for their long sleep, and did I imagine, the snapping of that twig? I crouched to the ground and searched with my less perceptive eyes, my eyebrows frozen with mist from above my protected mouth. The pricking of the ears, the raised flag of tail, and then lightly hoofed away, the doe and her almost grown brood. I sighed in relief, if the coyotes were out there would be little I could do to defend myself against a full pack, even if I had carried a gun. It seemed unfair to go against our ancient world with the techniques reserved for modern war. The coyotes were here first, after all, and I was in their house. It was their prerogative to kill me and eat my flesh to nourish them through winter. I paused my journey back to the shelter to drink from an icy stream. The water was like daggers down my throat but it was clean snow melt. My stomach ached from the cold of it. Out from their shelter my lips cracked and began to bleed. A drop fell upon the snow, and I stood, staring at the beauty of that bright carnelian bead freeze upon the down.
By Abigail Godfrey5 years ago in Families
The Sanctuary
There is a place called bank, not like the creek bank, but a building where they keep small papers called monies you can use for tradin’. You can give monies for almost anythin’ – food, shoes, warm coats, but you can’t go crazy now. Monies is precious and you need to be real wise ‘cause people will be lookin’ to take your monies.
By Denise Raward5 years ago in Families
Short Stories for Children
Alice's graduation Alice lived in Paris, France, with her parents. She attended a school called " L'ecole de Roses." Mrs. Richard, Alice's teacher explained perspective to the students and showed them pictures of buildings that were made in perspective. She gave an assignment in which the kids were to draw a street with buildings and houses in perspective. The person who had the best picture would receive a gift.
By Sandra Bongjoh5 years ago in Families
