Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
When Mothers Make Excuses
I became a mother twenty days after my twenty first birthday. In a calm, warm room in Huntingdon, England I labored for seven hours before bringing my sweet little girl into the world. She went straight to my chest, close to my heart where I would keep her forever. In the hours that followed, I sat holding her, both of us wrapped in soft blankets. I looked into her eye and thought of all the things she would need me to provide or teach her for the rest of her life.
By Emily Comstock 5 years ago in Families
I Belong
I was born in Vancouver BC, Canada far away from my "home" village of Alert Bay, BC (home of the Namgis First Nations). My mother was a widow very early in her life, after having two children with her late husband. At 19 years old she gave birth to me in hiding and quickly returned to Alert Bay. She left so quickly she forgot to sign the paperwork to give me up for adoption. The Social Worker had to fly up and get her signature before I could be released. The hospital had thought my "new" dad was my "real" dad as they were both fishermen on the coast of BC and tall and skinny. My new family is Caucasian and I had a older brother by three years. My brothers name is Benjamin and he had blond straight hair and blue eyes, opposite of me with Brown curly hair and brown eyes. I was deeply loved in my new home and we lived fairly well. Growing up, I always felt different, I felt I was treated different, acted different, and most of all looked different. When I was 10 years old, my parents had a daughter and her name is Sophia. Directly after Sophia's birth my parents separated and then divorced. All three of us kids felt differently about the divorce, but we all found it difficult. The way my parents disciplined me and the rules they kept were odd to me. I could feel it inside that some rules did not make sense to me and I really had no idea why. Most things felt different to me so I just got used to being different. For many years I ignored that I was First Nations and was in very little contact if any with other First Nations people or culture. My parents tried to teach me but I just wanted to be like my siblings and pushed it away. I had a hard time learning in school and there was talk about me possibly having learning disability or FAS, or ADHD, we were not given any previous medical history. I became a successful Chef for 10 years that ended in a traumatic car accident that left my right ankle fused with 6 inch plate and a huge screw directly up my heal. I was devastated because I found something I loved and that I was good at. After a lengthy rehabilitation, I re-trained and went to Post secondary school. I graduated with my B.S.W. and then shortly after my M.S.W. I had a strong feeling that I wanted to help "MY" people. I worked about three years in or around First Nation reserves within BC. I wanted to learn more about my culture and my language and felt this way I could earn money and learn at the same time. I was completely wrong. I did not understand reserves and all the hurt my people had endured. I was horrified. I had to deal with an incest case and followed it through courts for 2 years. My mental capacity was shot and I started to breakdown from not looking after myself. I turned to drugs. Went to treatment at the Woman's Hospital in Vancouver for 3 months. For the most part it was successful, a few slips here and there. I relocated to Victoria, BC. After five years of living off disability, being homeless, living in shelters, and being unstable I met THE most beautiful man I have ever met. His eyes radiated me, his smile, his laugh, his identical sense of humor....yes, identical! He accepted me for me. He is First Nations but grew up in the states. His family escaped from residential school and ended up in USA. He has lived in Victoria for many years now. He gave me the biggest gift of all in my life, a sense that I belonged somewhere. Something about him made me feel safe, welcomed, and protected, and I knew he would be in my life, at whatever capacity, till the end. I couldn't get enough of him, we were like two peas in a pod, always having fun, laughing lots, and I knew I could trust him. We have walked completely different lives, even at opposite sides of the spectrum, yet there was a deep connection. I saw this connection right from the start, but it took him many deep conversations to realize that we both have similar feelings about our upbringing which has really shaped who were are today. Whatever happens between us, he completes me. Having met him, I feel complete, like he was my missing piece. My tattoo above represents my clan, the Thunderbird, and he represents the Bear claw. May we always be respectful and loyal. Gilakas'la.
By Zoe Le Fevre5 years ago in Families
The start of something.
I'm not sure where exactly to begin or actually how to begin my story I am 36 years old with 3 boys and 1 beautiful lil girl. I was raised in a small town in Texas, everyone knew everyone's business. It wasn't the greatest or the worst place to grow up. My mother was in nursing school most of my teenage years, after she graduated she was always at work like seriously always. My grandparents lived next door and they watched over me as best they could. My sister was in college about 2 hours away and my father did construction work, He built my child hood home next to my grandparents when I was in second grade when we moved to the small town. He also was an alcoholic but nothing less to me always a good dad. Addiction is a disease and I stand firm on that and sadly his took his life in 1999. That's when my life turned upside down, I started acting like a complete Ass not only to my friends but my family as well and still at 36 years old I still haven't gotten it right but I can honestly say I'm learning day by day I'm learning. I have lost all contacts with all my family none of them speak to me and I have literally no friends my only motivation is the thought that one day when life decides I have had enough of the "You Get What You Give In Life" I'll finally be able to jump out of this cycle and learn to live again. I am stuck though you see in a sea of bad choices made by me. I can point fingers and blame others or people but ultimately I made my choices and that's why I am here stuck in the bermuda triangle of my life. I know it sounds crazy but it's like people I won't name any names are literally after my sanity. Making me relive my choices over and over needless to say. I have switched up and started to make new choices better ones but I assume still not the best ones being I'm back at damn near square one with an abusive boyfriend whom takes all I have and acts like I'm worthless to him. I can honestly say though that my mind set is by far better now. I refuse to let the man control my mindset although I know he isn't the greatest I wish he would go back to the fun loving man I met and not this idiot he has taken on to be it's like he has studied my past my relationships and has picked up bad habits of all of them. I know I know you get what you give in life. but I don't care who you are noone should be knocked down every time they get a shot to make it and left in the cold. And that's just the start of it, but what I'm learning is a little faith and the hope of something more in this world than and ugly black crow squaking at my head. I hold on to the belief of my guardian angels and the lord himself watching over me. That there's a purpose for all of this and if I couldn't handle it I wouldn't be given this life. I may have lost myself along the way along with everything I own and everyone I've loved but I have hit the bottom and gotten back up more times than most and my heart is stronger than ever and I can honestly say I love me I've made mistakes and I'll probably make more but I refuse to let the false gods as I call them steal my soul my beliefs and my heart it makes me who I am and I know I come from some pretty strong ladies and gentlemen and I believe in myself more than most.
By Thefinelinebetween Rightandwrong5 years ago in Families
I can’t find a heartbeat!
You never think of researching something until it has happened to you or a loved one. This has been the case when I was diagnosed with narcolepsy, when I came out as transgender, and now. How many of you honestly knew October 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day?
By Bryce and Val Marie Henderson5 years ago in Families
The Wake Up Call
I'm a single father of two girls. I really don't know a lot of things about how to dress or groom a girl. I make sure they are showered every day, hair is always combed, and the occasional pony tail is about the extent of my knowledge. That being said, one of the things I dreaded most this school year is picture day. I was lucky when I was still with my ex, because she had a knack for making our girls look great on picture day. So this year it was all on me and I didn't have a clue what to do.
By Ryan Cunningham5 years ago in Families
There's Always Poop
I am a mom. I wouldn't have always started with that, but lately it's hard to imagine having ever been anything else. There isn't a minute of my day that I am alone. A sleeping baby in the living room dreaming while the smells of dinner fill the house. A tiny body strapped to my leg as I try to get through the warm up stretches before Beastie number two helps his brother pin me on the ground; my 40 minute workout always had been a long shot in the dark by a lost blind woman. In the shower, trying to find peace, a little pair of peaking eyes find me, wondering if Mommy is almost done because he misses her. We'll skip the toilet scenes for now.
By SouloCircus5 years ago in Families
Lost
Sometimes, actually most the time, I feel lost. I have felt like this for as long as I can remember and its never gone away. I’m living a completely different life from those around me, my classmates, my friends, and its hard to explain why life is that way. It’s hard being around people that don’t understand your situation at all, but nobody can ever know someone else’s situation.
By Peyton Lewis5 years ago in Families
Outdoor Play Benefits for children
At the point when children spend enough time in outdoor plays including parks, forest and play grounds, they have a realistic opportunity to be get rid of stress, play enthusiastically, and get a chance to discover the beauty of the nature, which thus give physical and mental advantages.
By Aiden Chen5 years ago in Families
Cool gift ideas for kids ages 1-5
Regardless of whether it's a birthday, occasion, or on the grounds that, it's not in every case simple finding the best presents for kids ages one to five. Questions like, "What size dress should I get?" or "Will a particular toy suit their age group?” can make looking for children's toys a task. Play is fundamental for every child, but it should also be something matching their age group so that it remains relevant. Kids gifts items can be a tricky business, and so we only suggest the best to you!
By Shass Gift5 years ago in Families
