Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Is It Weird to Regift Toys My Kids Don't Want to My Ex's Girlfriend's Children?
Although it's December, I've been doing some spring cleaning. In cleaning out my bedroom and my kids' room, I've found a lot of toys that my boys don't want. These toys are still in their packaging. Mostly these are gifts that my sons received for their birthdays from their friends. They opened the gift wrapping, took one look at the toys, and said nah.
By Elle Silver5 years ago in Families
Virtual Hell
The real live struggle of "Virtual Schooling." Yes, I am another person speaking on how this year has been an overwhelming experience. It's like you're dealing with a child that is going through terrible twos and still have teeth trying to come in, "A Nightmare." For those of you who have experienced it you know exactly what I mean and what frustrations that brings for both the child and the parent. For those of you who haven't felt that hand full of crazy I feel mildly jealous.
By Tiffany Warner5 years ago in Families
My Dad Has Dementia - Journal Entry #3
For as long as I can remember, my dad has had a sense of humor. Quick witted is an understatement. He’s five steps ahead of everyone where jokes are concerned and sometimes it’s as if he planned entire conversations to set up the punchline a few hours down the road. Amazing. And amazingly funny!
By Lisa Akemi5 years ago in Families
Marriage=Work
Marriage is not an easy task. It requires a lot of work on oneself and as a whole. Before you both get married, you must know a little bit about one another, even during the marriage. I would like to share my experiences with you on how I manage my marriage and how my husband and I got better with ourselves and each other.
By Kimica Sledge5 years ago in Families
Introduction
Well, let's start with an introduction. I am a mother with 5 children on the autism spectrum. My oldest is Alec, he is 29 years old. Alec is married to a wonderful man named Kent. My second child is Timmy, he is 27 years old. My little girl, Karen (aka Shuff) is right in the middle at 24 years old. My fourth child has requested I use an Alias for him so he will be Bob. He has just turned 18 years old. The youngest is Jeremy at almost 12 years old. I am in my third marriage. This husband is Mikey. He is an amazing father and husband.
By Mary Ann LaCombe5 years ago in Families
How To Protect Your Teen Driver
If you have a child who is finally cresting that age where they will be able to drive themselves around, then you know just how tricky the subject of driver's safety can be! You want to protect your child at all costs, but first you have to get them on board with the new protocol. Safety should always come first when your teen is getting behind the wheel for the first time. Your teenager may not want to hear this because it might dampen how cool, new and exciting the experience of driving for the first time can feel. This may be where you and your child approach an impasse. However, there are ways that you can convince your teen to put safety first and still have them be excited for their newfound freedom of the open road. Here are some tips that will help you protect your new teen driver!
By Craig Middleton5 years ago in Families
Christmas is Canceled
It’s less than 2 weeks until Christmas and for many of us, we will be spending it alone. When my husband and I moved across Canada almost 30 months ago, it was to be expected that we would be spending it alone as we literally have no family here and our closest friends are about a 6 hour drive away. I know our parents miss us and want to see us, but they understand… though the first Christmas we were away, someone told my mom that the military flies families for free on one of their military flights. It’s a little shitty as it makes many stops across the country to drop off and pick up people so makes for a very long day – I believe one of my coworkers did it last year and went from Ottawa to Victoria and it was a 22 hour flight. The other issue is that there are set days it flies, so our holidays needed to work around that. The first Christmas we didn’t even consider making the trek as we had only been away from home for 6 months. The second (last) Christmas, my husband was going to be starting basic training (as he just joined the military) and we wanted a relaxing Christmas at home – plus we weren’t certain if the travel days would interfere with when he needed to be at the garrison. And then this Christmas… well, originally he was supposed to be at his trades training, so again, the timings wouldn’t have worked with the school schedule… but then covid canceled that either way - including his training.
By Kaylee Norton5 years ago in Families
Survival Instincts
Survival Instincts is the story of Sophia Vega, a feisty Filipina who refused to give up on life despite the hardships and tragedies she faced. Far from a fairytale, Sophia's journey took her from a small village in the Philippines to an underground world of gambling, assassination attempts, and exploitation where she witnessed and experienced the darkest sides of humanity.
By Maria Jessica Herrero Ryerson5 years ago in Families
A New Holiday Season Challenges Americans to Celebrate Safely
For many people, the first couple weeks of December have been filled with little reminders that this holiday season is so different from others. Our calendars, usually jam-packed with holiday parties, are now disappointingly empty. Day-long trips to the mall to buy gifts for family have been exchanged for online browsing. And on a darker note, many of us have lost family and friends to COVID-19 with whom we would spend the early December weeks excitedly chatting about holiday reunions.
By Pam Jannes5 years ago in Families
Boys Need to be Boys
The parents were struggling of what they should do help their 7 year old son focus in school. He just started grade 1. By nature he was loud, upbeat, friendly, rambunxious, and full of boyish energy. These amazing qualities in him however were beginning to become a determent to his performance in the classroom. I have said before that the public school system was not designed for specific kinds of children. Especially high active extroverted boys. To tell a young boy to sit still in his seat and focus his attention on the teacher hours on end is near to impossible. However in the public school system that is our expectation of children. Forcing them to make their bodies and brains to do things that they are not designed for or skilled and mature enough to do. Be a good little child and sit still and listen to the teacher. The parents of this child were at a loss of what to do with their son to get him to focus and perform in the school setting. They did come to a conclusion which is the same standard decision people make in these situation. Just put him on medication. So they did. This young boy would take his medication in the morning before school. By the time he arrived at school and was seated at his desk he was focused. However the problem with this decision occurred when he went outside for recess and lunch. When he was finally in the proper setting to let his energy out in an an outdoor environment he did not have energy to let out because his innate natural boyish energy was sedated from the medication that he was on. He tried to play games with his friends and rough house and run around but he did not have the same fire that he used to have. It was difficult to watch. I approached him and asked him how he was feeling. The young boy informed me that he was not feeling well and he has stomach ache. I assumed from what he said that the dosage of his medication was slightly off balance and causing his stomach to hurt. When he returned to class he was capable of sitting and doing his work however it was done with a lack of enthusiasm and energy. He informed me that he likes the fact that he can focus on his school work and that he is happy to make his parents happy that he focus on his work, but he wished that he can have the same amount of energy to play and engage with his friends. He told me that his friend were unenthused about laying with him because he could not socialize in the same way with them that he used to be able to do. Because of his sedated energy level he could not keep up with his friends and it was effecting his friendship with his friends. From my perspective I knew that males are competitive by nature and it is that innate competitive bond that creates strong friendships among males. The medication that this young boy was on depleted all the competition out of him which effected his friendship dynamic with his friends and as a result he became socially isolated from the other children. The parents were informed that they need to find a healthy balance for him. He needs to be able to be focused on his academics and at the same time have the energy to play with friend and unleash that healthy boy energy. The parents complied and and did what they needed to do get a healthy balance of medication so the young boy can focus and play with his friend, and he was happier then he can be. We have a tendency to look down on wild competitive male energy, that it is a quality that we must beat out of young boys and teach them to sit still and focus and listen. A lot of the time a school daily structure was not made for boys with ADHD. There brain chemistry does not allow them to sit still and focus hours on end they need that break to run and move and be physical and competitive with each other, it is how males bond with each other. Take a father and a son for example, studies have shown that rough physical play within a father son relationship as monumental emotional health benefits in bonding the father and the son together. Males were made to be physical beings. I had a young boy that I worked with years ago and he had an extremely difficult time sitting in class and listen to the teacher and staying focused on the task at hand. It was almost painful to watch him struggle to try and sit still and force his brain and body to stay focused. When I would observe him in the classroom setting it was almost as if he was in physical and emotional pain trying to force himself to be the student that the teachers wanted him to be. During the summer I began taken boxing classes. I bought myself a pair of boxing gloves at the store. So I came up with the idea of doing boxing classes with him during recess and lunch. He would put on the gloves and I would hold the pads and I would teach him proper punching techniques proper boxing foot work and and would have him exhaust himself until he had trouble standing. Then he would return to the classroom and his ability to sit still and focus on his academics dramatically improved it was not perfect but he was actually able to be productive in the classroom. That showed me that putting a young boy on medication to sedate his innate boyish energy is not always the best solution. It can be seen as an easy fix to. It is putting a bandage on a gun shot wound. It is time better spent explaining to the young boy that his energy is not bad and nobody should every make him feel that he is bad child for not being able to control his energy. He needs to be told that the best way to use his energy is to channel it. Into something productive that will benefit his life and move his life forward. Such as being on a sports team or taking up Mix Martial Art. So he can learn the proper knowledge and physical and emotional discipline that he will not learn from being on medication. It is a slower process but a more productive and permanent solution to the problem. All boys since the time they are born all have one thing in common, an innate hunter warrior nature. It our social culture and modern world that systematically beats that warrior mentality out of boys. All young boys want to do at a young age is run around in the woods play sticks and rocks and play war with each other. However in our modern time we discourage this behavior from young boys because we think it is harmful for there development. Boys need to be allowed to be in touch with there natural selves and be the loud energetic warriors that nature has designed them to be, but also maintaining respect to themselves, others and their community. For boys to be happy and healthy they need to be encouraged to let their energy out in socially productive ways. In failing to do so they will feel shamed and guilty for being a boy which will result into troubled men. Boy must always be boys.
By Logan Rider5 years ago in Families
The Magic of Christmas 2020
Christmas in 2020 will probably look a lot different for most of us, but after the past year I think we can all use some Christmas magic to remind us of all the good things in this world. Someone told me the other day that Christmas is for kids, and people who want to feel like kids for a little while. I also believe sometimes people experience bad things, and have Christmas taken from them. Sometimes people need someone to help them remember what Christmas is truly about. Christmas is the time to remember that love came down to find you here right where you are now, and it happens again year after year. I think we all could use a reminder of Christmas joy and the love from above that started it all.
By Cheree Cummings5 years ago in Families
My Dad Has Dementia
I taped down the charger cord under a note that said “Dad – Take your phone but leave the wire. Thanks!” and we’ll see it if works! Four days ago I did the same thing and thought I was a genius because the charger stayed in place! Hallelujah! I cannot tell you how many of them we’ve gone through in the last few years.
By Lisa Akemi5 years ago in Families
