Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Dealing with Death
She was strong, stubborn, but most importantly she was my mother. What I remember most about her was her fun, helpful personality. She always tried to help people, and hand only good intentions. How she could light up a room, and become the life of the party. Although I got many of my traits from her, I never her ability to be a social butterfly. I was more closed in. She showed her willingness to forgive and accept in her final days.
By Kimmy bishcake7 years ago in Families
The Sister of an Anorexic
It's common to see an anorexic's story on the web, internet, or YouTube. My sister has her own YouTube channel where she is able to document her recovery and help others along the way. I'm proud of her; I know she's getting better, but I also know relationships take a while to heal.
By Emily Frank7 years ago in Families
Can Young People Care?
When you hear of caring or nursing, people can sometimes automatically jump to an image of a mature lady nursing poor patients. This assumption has changed in latter years with more and more young people becoming carers or support workers. However, some people may question younger carers' skill set or experience and undermine the abilities of the young carer just from plain old prejudice.
By Lucie Watkins7 years ago in Families
When a Parent Is Behind Bars
It is hard enough being a parent to a child with both parents in the picture. But have you ever thought about what it would be like to try to raise a child when the other parent is behind bars? I’m here to tell you I thought being a single mom was hard enough. I had raised my son on my own for most of his life. My son’s biological father was one of those that would pop in and out from time to time. He would show up out of no place then just like that disappear again. Just this past year I finally tracked down my son’s father after almost a year of not hearing from him; our son just four years old at the time. Turns out he was incarcerated, and had been there for the better half of the year. A simple google search helped me find what prison he was located in and gave me an address. So, I wrote him a letter telling him that our son is doing fine, and asking him how he ended up in prison. I received a letter back from him about a week later informing me about how he purposely violated his probation because he wanted to get away from some people and was trying to turn his life around. He told me that he did not think the state attorney would go after him for five years in prison for a simple probation violation. He wanted to know everything about our son, everything that he had been missing, and was so happy that I had tracked him down. I wrote him back telling him that he really messed things up, that I hoped this experience would help him get his life back on a better track, and I told him the things he had missed with our son. Since the first letters we have had a sturdy line of communication. It has taken him to be locked up to actually start acting like the father he should of been from the beginning. At first when I found out where he was, I did not want to tell our son. It took a lot of communication, with my now husband, about if we should even tell my son or if he would be better off not knowing anything. So at four years old we sat my son down and told him where his biological father was. My son did not take this news very well, he had this belief that if he was bad he would end up in jail with his dad. It took a lot of explaining to get it into his young mind that things do not work like that. My son has had a hard time adjusting to the fact that he will not be able to see his real father till after he turns nine. Even though the prison does have a visitation program, my son is not allowed to visit him. The most my son can do is speak to his father on the phone maybe once a week for fifteen minutes. Most days my son doesn’t seem to be to bothered by the fact that his father isn’t around. He has developed such an amazing relationship with his stepfather that from an outside point of view you wouldn’t be able to tell that they aren’t blood. Sometimes though, there are those days that my son tells me he misses his dad and wishes he could see him. Those are the days that I really feel for my son, those are the days I wish a simple hug would take away his hurt. When I think about my son’s father being locked up, I feel bad for him because he is going to miss out on a lot of amazing things over the next five years, there are going to be things that he won’t be able to make up for missing out on. But I hope when he is released that he takes the time to get to know our son, and starts his life over in a better place.
By Wendi Simpson7 years ago in Families
Growing Up Bilingual
I was spending my usual Friday nights in my room watching Netflix and eating ice cream when I heard something on Jane The Virgin that made me think. Jane, the main character, who has a baby, named Mateo, was worried about his speech development. She noticed he was not saying anything besides the typical “mamma” and “dada,” and the other kids in her Mommy and Me playgroup knew up to 30 words, and some could form sentences. Jane went to Mateo’s doctor who told her not to worry about this yet. The doctor then asked if he was exposed to other languages because Jane is Latina. She informed her that he was, she speaks Spanish around him, and her grandma only speaks Spanish. The doctor reassured her that it is normal for babies in a bilingual home to develop speech at a later time than babies in non-bilingual homes.
By Salvatore Giangreco-Marotta7 years ago in Families
Life of a Medical Mom
To be a medical mom, the term isn't heard very often and people don't quite understand what it is to be one. A medical mom goes through more trials then any other type of mom. Our lives revolve around hospitals, doctors, exams, procedures, and several types of medical terms we have no clue about! As a medical mom, our mothering tactics are taught differently, we are always on our toes/feet ready to go at the slightest move. We watch as our little ones go through things we can't fathom going through. They are poked with needs, always on some medication we can't pronounce, sometimes if they are still young we watch as they get IVs put into their little heads because it's the only place they can find a viable vein. We sit in waiting rooms during surgeries rattled with worry as family does their best to try and take our minds off the fact our child could die. A medical mom's life is never an easy one to live. We sit at bedside some nights afraid to leave their side, forgetting that we need to shower, eat, and even sleep. Our child's machines are our lullabies for when we do finally fall asleep but once those machines begin to beep we are awake again ready for the worst. Two and a half months, six months, five years, 15 years, these are some times for when moms and children are in the hospital some kids never leave, others leave then within days are back and even in worse shape.
By Samantha Bouzoun7 years ago in Families
Baby No. 13 & His Nurse. Top Story - September 2018.
It was a seasonably cool Thursday in Saint Louis, Missouri. The date was October 6, 1904 and the St. Louis World's Fair is in full swing. Patrons had come from all over to enjoy such novelties as cotton candy, iced tea, peanut butter, and hot dogs. They could promenade down the pike to observe all sorts of new inventions never before fathomed.
By Michelle Edwards7 years ago in Families
Does It Get Better?
I'm not sure where to start. I am married with 2 children. A 13-year-old daughter and an 18-year-old son. My son is at boot camp for the Navy. He has been gone for over 2 weeks. To say my son is a mama's boy is an understatement! He did JROTC all 4 years in high school. So he was prepared (in a way) for boot camp. He is a very funny, kind, smart, determined, and loving young man. I was very involved in (almost) every aspect of his life. Our relationship is different from mine and my daughter's. She is very independent and not much of a hugger. She's like her father!
By Ruth Berber7 years ago in Families
The King
"Wasting away on a bronze thrown and an iron crown. What must I do to gain respect? Fear is the answer, destroy their wonderous hills. Put poison in their gleaming rivers. They shall suffer and come to me to seek a warm smile. A 'hello', an 'I will help you, my child'. I must be the one to demand more than land, but servants and money. To have power bestowed on me. My crown gold with shiny stars. Silky garments to show my royalties. A lovely maiden to hang on my arm while she exudes beauty. I shall wake up in a room with a warm bath drawn. A plate with freshly picked fruit will await me there. An army that breaths fury with a build of boulders from the highest mountain. A warlord who lives to kill those that defy me. When I look over my balcony, I'll be welcomed with the smiles of my people."
By Queen Jordan7 years ago in Families
Introduction: 'Aza Strange! The Accident'
Why did he just have to take the only car that we had? My name is Aza Strange and I am 16 years old, technically I actually haven't gotten my license yet being that in reality my birthday actually wasn't all that long ago. And unlike most girls my age; I just admittedly wasn't ready to take my driver's test and hopefully pass so that I could go and actually get my license on the day of, like the rest of them seem to do. But this was one of those situations where I honestly couldn't care less if it was illegal or not. Or if my dad would've had my head once he'd find out about it, if I had the chance I would've gone speeding through all the red lights in the world if I thought that I just wasn't going fast enough.
By Emelia Rosebud7 years ago in Families
