Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Penguins
I remember one day my mom and I were driving alone in her car, and she had a very serious talk with me. She told me she had about six months to live. She was about 58 years old at that time, but had suffered through many medical issues in her life. She had been a stroke survivor, had a heart attack, and even a bout with spiral meningitis. I was shocked when I heard the news, still, even though she, and as a result, all of us, her family, had been through so much.
By Marc Sander7 years ago in Families
Flight Travel Tips for New Parents
We've learned and grown from our personal experience with flying with a toddler. Our first flight was five and a half hours long from Atlanta to Portland to see my folks in Vancouver. We thought we had prepared, but boy were we wrong.
By Shawn Plummer7 years ago in Families
Musings of Pumping Mom
It’s 1:17 AM and I’m sitting on the edge of my bed pumping. I’ve been running this routine for the past 13 weeks since my little girl was born April 10th, three months before her due date of July 11. I love the fact that I’ve been at this for over three months now and have been able to give my baby all breast milk through her NICU stay, but it doesn’t come worry-free.
By Jenn Kopec7 years ago in Families
How Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, Is Adjusting to Motherhood
In just one year, Meghan Markle encountered a lot of major events in her life. She became a royal with the designation of Duchess of Sussex on May 19, 2018. Before her first wedding anniversary, she was already a mother. Her son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was born on May 6, 2019. That was not even a complete year later.
By Margaret Minnicks7 years ago in Families
Losing Parents
When I was younger, I never thought I would ever lose my mother or my stepfather. I know that sounds awful. Like most people, I fought with my mother quite a bit. I guess you could say I even rebelled a little. When I turned 18, I joined a traveling carnival. I spent a few months traveling and living the whole drama-fueled life of a carney. I operated a game where you picked a color and a little rat went into a hole and if it was your color, you win. I wanted to be my own person and thought that not living with my mother would give me more freedom. It did to a point, but the carnival life just wasn't my thing. I left there and went to northern Michigan to live with my stepdad. This hurt my mother's feelings very much. The reason I chose this was so she couldn't control my life like I thought she wanted to. I grew up and started a family of my own.
By Joni Webber7 years ago in Families
Healthy Pregnancy
Prenatal Health Care It is very important for women who have found out that they’re pregnant to get prenatal health care. Prenatal health care is especially important at the very beginning to be sure everything is alright with the baby and that there are no problems. Then, regular follow-up visits are important to see if the baby is growing and developing right inside the mother’s body. Your health care provider will be able to let you know how many weeks pregnant you are and will be able to determine when your delivery date should be. The health care provider will then set up a schedule of visits for you:
By Alyssa Day7 years ago in Families
The True Meaning of Family
The definition of the word family can mean many things. From shared bloodlines and ancestors to a household made up of parents and children, these definitions seem better suited to explain words like relative or cohabitation rather than what a family consists of. These textbook definitions may have the technical terminology right, but they lack the core meaning, which is stability, love, trust, and support.
By Jus L'amore7 years ago in Families
Rock Bottom
My year started out wonderfully. I seriously couldn't have asked for better. I was in a healthy relationship with my boyfriend, and I had my whole year in front of me. In April I received the best news I could have. I saw the pregnant sign on a test. I was filled with joy and sadness and fear that day. My body couldn't quite comprehend. We had been trying for four months, and finally I got what I desired. I was probably one of the happiest people being pregnant, but it didn't last long for me at all.
By Kennedy Rae7 years ago in Families
How to Run a House While Raising Kids
When you and your life partner or spouse decide to start a family together, you probably do not realize the incredible changes one or two children are going to make to your home. It means that you are going to have to find a way to learn how to balance a career that you love but is 40+ hours a week, as well as being there for your kids, and giving them a home they can grow up in. However, running a household, holding down a career, and raising your kids is not at all simple, and when it comes to learning how to manage it all, it can be incredibly overwhelming. It is a nearly impossible task to keep a house clean with one or more kids in the house. There are probably legos everywhere, stains, laundry, and you probably need a good carpet cleaning, but life is just more enjoyable and far less stressful if the house is clean and well organized—it can even help parents sleep better! The question then is, how are you supposed to run a house with kids underfoot, and not completely lose your mind, or feel like you are fighting a losing battle? Below are a few little known tips and tricks that will help you keep your home clean and under control when you are also running around non-stop raising your kids.
By Sasha McGregor7 years ago in Families
