Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Families.

10 Signs You Have Narcissistic Parents
My boyfriend and I recently had a major argument about his lack of romance. After months of chiding him about getting more romantic or doing romantic gestures, I finally snapped and crossed the line.
By Mackenzie Z. Kennedy7 years ago in Families
I Want My Mommy
It's been a solid year since I've seen my birth mother. If you've read my story Broken Promises, you would understand why. We've spoken over the phone, via text, all conversations lasting no more than one to five minutes. During the holidays, it was difficult, not knowing what to do. I've only just gotten to a place where I can speak to her as acquaintances and not have it affect me in a negative way all day.
By Aurea Gonzalez7 years ago in Families
The Butler
July The windows are down, but there’s no wind blowing through my hair right now and I can smell the pungent odor of the bay. Mimi would actually have to be doing the speed limit for me to even get a small gust, but I am okay with that because it would probably amplify the smell coming in. Most people would be disgusted with the scent, but for me it means we’ve almost reached Wildwood. I’m used to the extended drive down the beach, but Mim hates taking highways or main roads so it takes longer than usual. That means for the past two hours I’ve been staring at farmland. It sounds worse than it is. I love the view of the beautiful orchards splattered with color from all the fruits and vegetables growing out in the fields. While we drive Mimi tells me stories of when she was younger and talks about how much everything has changed. Like how the road me and my mom would normally take to drive down, Rt. 347, didn’t even exist when my family first bought the house down Wildwood. She reminisces about when the house was still new, a one story house with red shingle siding and a white roof. The porch has a little gate at the top of the steps to keep all the children inside and away from the street. We’re one of the lucky houses with our own driveway and it leads right to the backyard. When we finally pull the car in, the first thing I notice is our shed that stores all of our beach supplies. Growing up, Mimi and my Aunt Anne always called it a "hoodle" and to this day I’m still not sure it’s a real word. I try to imagine what it would have been like to grow up in the same time period as Mim. It’s hard to imagine, but these car rides together make it seem more real and it’s some of the best times we have together.
By Katelyn D7 years ago in Families
Toxic Masculinity
I look on my past and see the anger of a mother that abandoned us, and a father that didn't really teach the lessons I was looking for, the lessons I needed. A father that was emotional, but never in a good way. A father with stories that were violent and never really about the good he created. I can only remember stories of high school fights and girls, and well, us and my mother. The way he acted was always with authority, but with a smile. He was a people person and he pushed those ideas onto me. Being able to talk on the phone, talking with family and friends, but really I never knew how. I was awkward—well, I sort of fell into it.
By Gabriel Torres7 years ago in Families
My Experience Losing Someone Close
My life is a roller coaster of crazy events, I have probably experienced more than the average person has, and I am not even 30 yet. I think I have gone through enough tragedy now to last a lifetime, but I am sure I will experience more. I also spend a lot of time alone, now and when I was younger, so I self-reflect a lot... Doing so has taught me a lot about myself, who I am and where I am going. I also think a lot about the past, and what I have learned from my experiences, why they happened, and who I became because of it. I know now that with every up, and every down I experienced, I learned a lot of valuable lessons.
By Osana Lindsay7 years ago in Families
My Very First Holiday Ever Away with My Boys as a Single/Lone Parent
Hi, I'm mum to three boys, George, Henry, and Rupert. Last year I won a holiday, a small breakaway to Wales, the win was very exciting news because I was super exhausted from life. It would be my first breakaway ever with my children alone and my first rest and get away in two years.
By Lucy Graham7 years ago in Families
Toddlers & Tantrums (Pt. 2)
Some days are better than others. Today was one of them. At least for now, it was. Her grandparents were gone for the evening so it was just her, her husband, and their kids. While she didn't like using video games as a babysitter, she needed a power nap and her oldest child was of course wide awake.
By Kilyn Wymer7 years ago in Families
Playing with the Wild Things
Do you ever want to run away? Find that little boy or girl that once slew dragons, flew to the moon, and ran alongside the wild things in the forests of our imaginations. Some days the weight of the world is too much, and I long for the freedom of childhood when life was still, new, and amazing. Every day something would profoundly change you, it was wonderful. When we looked at one another, different yet the same, and we managed to keep our own faiths, beliefs, morals and opinions to ourselves. We would look upon new faces and new cultures with amazement and excited genuine curiosity.
By MoriaCavandish7 years ago in Families
3 Lessons I Learned About Parenting After Watching 'Beautiful Boy'
Beautiful Boy was released this past year and it is simultaneously difficult and crucial for parents to watch. If you haven’t seen it, let me sum it up before we start. The movie centers around the relationship of father, David, and son, Nic, played by Steve Carrell and Timothee Chalamet, respectively. The story takes a look at the family dynamic as Nic tries to recover yet again from his methamphetamine addiction.
By Jilian Woods7 years ago in Families
You Cheated Death—Now What?
Since the release of my book “Five Years to Live,” I have met with dozens of families who have received and had to deal with the phone call every dreads; “There has been an accident and your son/daughter is paralyzed.” Now what? What does the family do? Who do they contact? When will they know something? How badly is he/she hurt? How do they get to the hospital? Who can take them to the airport? Where do they stay? How do they cope with the shock, grief, and the major overhaul of their life?
By Frank Zaccari7 years ago in Families
Mother's Day Is Looming
I'm not against mothers day as a whole, it's just like any other holiday, commercialised to make us (some of us) spend money. The idea of saying thank you to your mother for everything they've done is a great holiday.
By Linzi Agnew7 years ago in Families
Becoming a Woman Without a Mother
As kids, we believe our parents are superheroes; you know, always there to pick us up, knowing exactly how to make us feel better, and, if you're lucky, understanding you. I was a lucky one. I grew up in a two parent household where my mom was a childcare provider and my dad worked security. Life was good, and as I got older, I had a bond with my mom that I knew was closer than other girls had with their moms at that age. She understood me, encouraged me and made sure I was heard. The funny thing is, I didn't realize all of this till it stopped being that way.
By Alex Fuller7 years ago in Families