Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Dad of a Five-Year-Old
The life of a father to a five-year-old little diva is a lot more complex than you’d imagine, and I assume it’s only going to get more interesting. From the moment you first see your daughter being born, you just know she going to be daddy’s sweet little angel forever. This eventually fades and life comes quickly to burst your little bubble. The sweet, innocent, and loving phase last about as long as the flavor in chewing gum.
By Tony Campbell7 years ago in Families
Fun, Screen-Free Activities for Kids
In today's society, screens are ubiquitous. And as adults, we are probably the biggest culprits of excessive screen time. But our kids are not far behind us. Many kids seem downright addicted to TV, video games, and even smart phones. So, here are some fun activity ideas that don't involve screens.
By Jen Ayer Drake7 years ago in Families
A Note as I Fly…
The 18th day of May, 2016. It’s a pleasant morning… I watched the sun rise through the window of the aircraft, alone. I’ve learnt one thing… not learnt, rediscovered… The only one that cares about you the most is your mother, be it biological or otherwise. (Obvious?) The one that knows what you want materialistically is... You! No one else. So instead of hoping for something that you want, ask or work for it… This is just the materialistic part that I’m talking about… The other wants will take a whole new dimension if I talk about it.
By Prasita Nadar7 years ago in Families
Sleep: It's Important
Sleep. It is something that we all require and so many of us don't get nearly enough. When you have children, sleep is an elusive creature that rarely shows its face. Sometimes you feel like you've gone months without a good night's sleep. Some people will say years.
By Samantha Reid7 years ago in Families
Life Times Two with Autism
My younger self had always wanted to be a mother. I loved babies; it just seemed fitting. I had all these expectations on which gender I preferred and how many I wanted, and things would just be perfect. I would tell people constantly, “I want four kids, all boys.” By the time my first came and staying with my uncle and his four boys for a short time, the disappointment of it being a girl wore off fast! Growing up with a lot of siblings, I knew I wanted my daughter to experience the sibling love, so shortly after we fell pregnant again. After a false miscarriage, the shock of our lives hit us; we were having twin boys. Pregnancy and the birth of our twins went without a hitch and they had developed no different from any other infant. When it came to the point where babies start to speak, there was a short-lived mental panic I had; other twin moms I knew were expressing how their twins were starting to talk and, well, mine hadn’t quite reached there yet. But as quick as the panic came was as quick as it had left because they started saying the words every mother wants to hear first, “ma.” Something wasn’t right, though; call it mother’s intuition but I started to be concerned. Yes, they were saying “ma,” but they weren’t saying it directly to me. They would only say it if my sister came around, and even then, it wasn’t frequent. My sister and I would joke that they think she’s their real mama and trust me, they still treat her like a Queen and me nothing more than a mere peasant. Past the laughter there was a concern brewing. Is there something wrong with the boys?
By Kay Mclean7 years ago in Families
The Struggle
Red, that is the color she saw the moment Lilly heard her mother utter the words, “You have a week to get your stuff out of the house.” She was livid that, after the years of mental abuse she suffered for that woman’s enjoyment and her sister’s benefit, she was being thrown out of her own home. All because her mother decided to start an affair with a married man and then when that fell apart, move several states away after stopping paying all bills.
By Mary Benson7 years ago in Families
I Was 19 Years Old
Newly into college, I was juggling a full schedule with my academics, waitressing, and being a student athlete, where I also had to juggle practice two times a day. I had no real social life in terms of doing the whole "College thing" by partying and drinking, if so it was rare to see me out (I didn't even like going out in high school, for the same reasons, working and on the HS swim team).
By Lena Michelle7 years ago in Families
Struggles of Being a New Dad
For a woman becoming a mom is a gradual thing because of the carrying of the baby. However, for a man, it's a bit more sudden in terms of the day you fully become a dad. It's almost as if you went from driving a Pinto to a Ferrari in 12 hours, except the Ferrari has a manual that is written in German. Especially when you come from a home that either has no father figure or a terrible one, so what does a man do to prepare for the day his life both ends and starts?
By Tony Campbell7 years ago in Families
