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Most recently published stories in Families.
10 SIGNS YOU WERE RAISED BY A FILIPINO MOTHER
1 - They love cooking. Whenever they have spare time or when they are bored, they will be cooking something, even if it ends up in the freezer for a while. Which is a great thing cause all your friends will come over and enjoy home cooked food. Or sometimes you’d have friends coming over, just for the food ! And the leftovers when they leave your home. They would always leave with a tupperware of food...
By Axelle T. Marchesin6 years ago in Families
Diaries of a pregnant woman
Diaries of a pregnant women Serious thoughts Let us begin in December of 2019 where my husband and I began to have serious conversations about bringing life into this world. I’m not sure how everyone else felt about that year but I had noticed some unusual events. Just to name some that made a big splash in 2019. Cannabis was legalized in October of 2018, but it wasn’t until the beginning of 2019 that I began to see its effects. I’m stating what I saw. One morning in the bathroom of my college where I studied. Two girls looked up at me from the bathroom sinks where they had been rolling their blunts. Surprised they both asked me if I wanted some, which I replied no thank you. I continued onto the bathroom stall and went about my business. One girl told the other that I wouldn’t report them. When I was done, and I came out to wash my hands they were gone. They were right. I did not report them. That was because the college I was at highly respected personal choice and were behind on posting signs. There were no signs signalling where to smoke. Nor were there any signs saying they could not role their items in a bathroom. We received a letter notifying us once it had been legalized and that areas would be added into our school. At this point when I saw these girls, signs were absent. What might this one occurrence I had have anything to do with a child. Well before I continue to explain let us look at two other events. The Canadian government had previously warned us (students) about changes in tuition, funding and loan opportunities. In fact, if anyone signed up for loans, the small print specified that they could change policy when they desired. I guess it was more of a shock than anything else. However, those who take loans or will take loans in the future will have to begin paying back a percentage. Now most people were confused about whether or not there was still a grace period for the upcoming potentials that would apply for a loan. The truth is that it is still there but there are changes that occur during the grace period. In the past there may have been some charges pending or made from the federal government (let's call them interest). That would later be added in accumulation to the original full amount due to the loan. Yet the province was not applying any type of fee and the full amount (plus federal interest) wouldn’t be charged until after 6 months. It was called a grace period. The truth is that the federal government was still charging, and it would not be seen until the end. Reminder: I am a pregnant woman who got her information from all over the internet, so I just suggest you go look and find your own. Anyways back to the point, the loan still has its grace period, and everyone got confused for nothing (currently still am). It will have interest coming in from somewhere but does not have to be paid immediately after graduating. The last unusual event was the rise in shootings. From 2018-2019 the shooting cases increased and I’m not sure if we just hadn’t heard about them until then. Toronto Canada had some in Danforth, as did Hamilton and in July of 2019 there were more. First, when did guns become normalized in Canada and secondly why hasn’t anyone found out how they are being brought in. Among the increase in fame from YouTube, snapchat, Instagram and other rising media platforms that exposed some odd stories. My husband and I were concerned about what type of world our future child would come to. I think, and this is just a personal thought. That every couple thinking about having children may ponder about what type of world their child will come to. In all realism my husband and I discussed having a family way before we married. When we were friends those conversations came about due to our positions at the time. Myself as a youth worker who had worked with children as little as 8 to teenagers. My husband who had past volunteer and mentoring experience with children and people his age. It wasn’t until December 2018 that we were getting serious since our long journey of academic study was ending.
By Melanie A. Arnold6 years ago in Families
Childhood memories
Growing up in the 70's was fantastic. The early years, I of course don't have very many memories but there are a few. My family lived with my Grandma in Sugar house, Utah. We lived on a tree lined street in a single family home. There were two bedrooms upstairs however one was being used as a den. The basement is where our family lived. My parents had the family room, and my older brother slept on cushions on the floor. I slept with my Grandma in her Room upstairs.
By Lee Naylor6 years ago in Families
Unfortunate events
For years I’ve always wondered out of curiosity what life Would have been like if you were still alive, would I have achieved everything I have achieved, Would I have been a different person then I am today? Would you be proud of me? For years I’ve always questioned myself.
By Glenys Nicholas6 years ago in Families
My Open Letter to My Black Sons
When I found out that I was expecting each of you, I loved you both before I had the pleasure of laying eyes on you. My dreams and wishes for you and your future were grand and vast. Even as infants, I knew unequivocally that you were placed on the Earth for great things. Now here we are in the year 2020, you are seven and ten years old with a lifetime ahead of you, at least that is what I pray. A lifetime...what does that really mean? Most believe it is living well into your twilight years, old and gray, having lived a full and enriching life. There is now a new definition of lifetime based upon how long you physically survive all of the obstacles and tribulations that will be placed before you. For many that idea of a lifetime, is aborted before it can be fully realized.
By Robyn Durr-Henry6 years ago in Families
Decide
Frowning at herself in the mirror, Anto raked her long, slender fingers through her blonde hair, feeling the unsatisfying brittle texture of each lock. She’d tried so many natural remedies and hair masks to fix the damage that was done to her hair but nothing ever worked. She scoured the internet and flipped through countless magazines only to feel helpless in the end. She looked at her reflection with dissatisfaction, bringing her fingers up to her face to gently caress her skin. She wanted so badly to look like the other girls her age, who had perfect button noses, silky hair, and glowing skin. Of course, these looks can be easily achieved through makeup and photoshop, but there was not enough makeup in the world to fix her blemishes and no amount of photoshopping could ever fix her insecurities. She sighed, beginning to braid her damp hair into two pigtails, getting ready to air-dry them. She had learned from magazines and online sources that airdrying was much healthier for your hair and hopefully, her naturally straight but frizzy hair could become curly and voluminous, by the time she wakes up in the morning and unbraids her hair. Oh but this wasn’t the first time she’s done this. So, she knew what to expect. Curly...yes. Voluminous...well, big? But perfect? Most definitely not.
By Salem Rosé6 years ago in Families
The Grand Canyon
My sister and I always wanted to travel growing up, but coming from a lower class family and becoming teenage mothers, we’ve never gotten the opportunity. She always said that she wanted to see the Grand Canyon but surprisingly that was never on my list. I wanted to see what was outside of our borders. I never wanted to stay in it much less see more of it. I’m 27 now and my sister died six years ago. I’ve never been quite the same mentally or emotionally but now I take care of her children and mine, gratefully. I’ve believed since then that I needed to somehow live and experience for the both of us, even buying those gross chocolate covered cherries she loved to somehow keep her alive. It’s like I think that buying stuff she loved would somehow keep her spirit around, knowing I don’t really believe in things like that. Which almost makes me mad at her for making me buy this god awful candy.
By Jenna Jones6 years ago in Families
Life is a Beach!
Life's a beach! My mother was walking up the stairs of my Great Grandma Puckett Huntington's house in Galveston Island, Texas and went into labor with me. I was born at 1:30 p.m. at John Sealy Hospital on thanksgiving day November 25, 1976. My grandma worked at Bank of Galveston and my dad would carry me in my baby carrier showing me off to everyone in the bank saying “See my daughter!”. He was so proud of me and so was my mom and they nicknamed me “Love”. My mother was born in Port Isabel, Texas on August 1, 1952. Port Isabel is a small island in south Texas near South Padre Island, Texas. My mom has five sisters Margie, Irma, Minerva, Chave and Dolores and one brother Norberto Jr. My grandparents Isabel and Norberto Perez were active in their community. They were restaurant owners and the President and Vice President of the V.F.W. because my grandpa was in the navy. My grandmother was also the President of the Auxiliary and they would raise money for the V.F.W. by having dances and selling plates of BBQ. My grandmother said that they raised so much money that they could buy a new facility for the V.F.W. in Port Isabel.
By Irene Rose Johnson6 years ago in Families
