Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Gender Stereotypes and Children. Top Story - December 2018.
Say you get invited to a baby shower. The latest news is that she will be having a girl. You run to the store, go into the newborn section, and pick out a frilly little pink onesie and pink binky for the expected baby. Sounds cute. Easy enough, right?
By Hayley Ragan7 years ago in Families
Torn from My Arms, but Never from My Heart
August 15, 2016 was the worst day in my 30 years of life and is a day I will never forget. Middle aged, lesbian, fashionista, loving and attentive mother, full-time and successful carrier, a Leo, outgoing, friendly, social butterfly, independent.
By Vanessa Bettenhausen7 years ago in Families
Perfect Christmas Presents for New & Expecting Mums
While I have whizzed through creating my Christmas menu and sourcing food ahead of the festivities, I have to admit that I have had more trouble than usual choosing gifts this year. Maybe it is because a lot of my girlfriends are either expecting or have kids of their own and I seem to have been so busy attending various different Christenings or baby showers!
By Nathalie Martin7 years ago in Families
Puberty Stoppers—Dangerous Trend or Solution?
If you are familiar with the works of Neil Gaiman you may perhaps have read the Sandman series by him. If you have not, then you have to know that it's a story mainly revolving around seven siblings governing our world and many others—ancient gods, basically. One of the siblings happens to be Desire (all of their names alliterate: Dream, Death, Destruction etc) who was neither male nor female while all the rest of the seven had a decided gender.
By Maura Dudas7 years ago in Families
Beach Vibrations
Some might say, that I have led many “riveting” expeditions, I have conquered many lands, stepped on every kind of earth, and vanquished foes…Voyager? Well, I prefer Beach Vibrations. It’s a little-known term my crew and I came up with. But I digress. What could that really mean? Lailoni was absolute perfection. From her mind, her spirit, her charm, her determination. Everything about her exceptional, absolute perfection.Right down to her emerald green eyes. Could I have done something different? Why did everyone hold that obligation to me? Hold on, there’s something I need to address….did you think I was Lailoni? Or maybe a past lover even? Well, I guess all that will be revealed, once we delve deeper into the ever-growing abyss I named Lailoni.
By Sarah Emerson7 years ago in Families
Heartbroken but Grateful
Beautiful. You were beautiful. Light would burst through a room when you were in it. You had big brown eyes and a wonderfully warm smile. Everything made you laugh, even when you weren't doing so well. I remember mom would sit you in between her legs and we would all play ball, we even played hide and seek, sometimes the family dog joined in! I would read to you and play school. We really had a wonderful short childhood together. We would hang out in my room and listen to music and talk, you mostly listened.
By Amanda DeGrasse7 years ago in Families
Growing Up: Life After Abuse
Growing up, children seek to be protected, loved, and cared for—a basic human right. Yet that is not always the case. As the rates of harassment, abuse, violence, and anger rise up in this day and age, people fail to see the harm this is doing to the children in the world. Developmentally, children are growing cognitively, emotionally, and socially for many years, and exposure to such negativity impacts them beyond words. I grew up as a child witnessing domestic violence, a victim to emotional, mental, and physical abuse, and over a decade later I still suffer. Jamie Hanson, a professor from the University of Wisconsin released information from her research and studies that showed, "Orphaned children and physically abused children had smaller amygdala and hippocampi at age 12 than children without a history of stress. Those with the smallest amygdala and hippocampi also had the most behavioral problems, like getting in fights or skipping school."
By Makayla Richards7 years ago in Families
Being a Single Parent with a Mental Illness
We all question if we're doing good enough in life. Well, I question it daily. I'm a single mom of two boys. They're definitely a handful, and life is stressful for us most of the time. They bring me joy and happiness, but honestly, not in the way kids do most of the time for their parents.
By Kay Mellinger7 years ago in Families
