Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Families.

Dads: Bodysurf with Your Kids
New dads and old seasoned veterans alike. Grandpas and uncles and anything else in between. I'm not wise by any chance, I am just a daughter of a regular American dad, but I have one thing to say to you and one thing only: surf with your kids.
By Lauren Day7 years ago in Families
Where Our Love Grows...
Laying on my back, legs in the air… being in this position was the closest thing Sam and I had to natural conception. I was starting to spend more time in this position with a doctor’s hands inside me than intimately in this position with Sam. I had everything crossed, except my legs which were uncomfortably forced into stirrups, that this would be the last time I had to endure the 180 minutes of total hell.
By Titanium Jen7 years ago in Families
10 Ways a Mother-Daughter Relationship Changes When You're an Adult
"Ugh, mom, you're ruining my life." It rings of bad 2000s teen dramas to be sure, but it's also something many daughters have said to their mothers as teenagers. Those years can be trying, as you feel more and more ready for independence and responsibility, but still don't have the freedom you want. This is part of the reason mother-daughter relationships can be tense just before you enter adulthood. And even if you never had a "you're ruining my life" phase, there are simply some things that you can't understand about your mother and your relationship with her until you reach adulthood yourself. For this reason, there are many ways a mother-daughter relationship changes when you're an adult, for better or for worse. (Spoiler alert: it's mostly better).
By Nicola P. Young7 years ago in Families
My Children Are My Greatest Blessings
I always dreamed of being a mother... When I was in Kindergarten I started saving toys and clothes for my "future children" in a small wooden box that my grandpa made for me. I wanted to be prepared for when I would one day be "mommy's age" and have a baby. As I grew older, I didn't want to rush into getting married and having kids, but I still kept saving things and being sentimental for when it did happen for me.
By Kristen Burgess7 years ago in Families
A Love Like No Other: Part 2
To me it feels like a lot has happened since I wrote the first part to this little series of articles; And in truth, a lot has happened...
By Kelsey Park7 years ago in Families
A Letter to My Mother In Law
Dear Mother in Law, I remember years ago, getting off the school bus and strolling slowly down an unfamiliar path to your house. The sun was shining, ponies were in the field next to us as I walked hand in hand with your son, on my way to meet you for the first time. I was so nervous, I wanted to make a good impression and I had never before met the creator of somebody I so desperately wanted to love me. I was 16 years old, had never been in love before and yet when I saw your son, something in me stirred and I knew he was special. In my 16-year-old brain, I was the first person to see him that way. Now I know better.
By Jaz Johnstone7 years ago in Families
Why I Hope to Be Like Hagrid
I am a HUGE Harry Potter nerd! It is, by far, my all-time favorite series. I don't mean that I really enjoy the series or I like how they're written. I mean I have two Harry Potter tattoos and entirely too much merchandise. I'm a Harry Potter nerd. Everyone asks me who my favorite character is. This is a complicated question for a lot of reasons. If we're talking in general, my favorite character is Sirius Black. However, if you asked me who I admire most as a parent figure for Harry, I would have to say Molly Weasley and Hagrid. I admire Molly Weasley for obvious reasons. Many people question why Hagrid though. I have a few reasons...
By Michelle Schultz7 years ago in Families
Kids & Technology!
I'd like to start this blog by saying, "What happened after my generation?" I remember growing up with NO cable, no cell phone, dial up internet, no tablets, Xbox, PlayStation, etc & I survived!!! I had the outdoors on most days, actually every day! I had a VCR and cassette player. I don't even think I had a DVD player until high school, & even then, I hardly used it. I was allowed maybe an hour with ALL my cousins to play Nintendo (the old one) once a week at my grandparents' house & when that gaming system broke, we didn't get another one!!! We had a movie night once a week at my grandparents' as well & usually it was an old Western on VHS!!!
By Beth Ditzler7 years ago in Families
The Tug of War
There comes a time in every single mother's life where we look upon those childless, energetic, well-kept females and think to ourselves, "what if?"
By Angie Robinson7 years ago in Families
Being One and Done by Choice
As a kid, I always wanted to be a mom. I was constantly begging my parents to buy me baby dolls, and I would take them everywhere with me. I was always taking care of these baby dolls and practicing being a mom. I worked at a daycare for a year when I was 17–18 years old. That made me more set on the idea of wanting to be a mom and wanting a big family. I wanted about 3–5 kids, and I remember when I met my husband and started talking about our future I said I wanted to have at least three kids, and I would not settle with less. He agreed and before we got married we started trying for a baby. I was 20 years old when I had him. After we had our son, I realized being a mom was nothing like how I expected and that’s normal. After a year of having him, I started thinking about the possibility of him being an only. It was hard and I jumped back and forth between having another child in the future and not having another one. My son is now three years old and I am 23, and I am making an appointment to have my tubes tied. It is a decision my husband and I both agree with and, while it is our decision and our decision alone, we have gotten hate for this decision. So why am I posting this on a public site knowing I might get more hate for this? Because I know, while I might get hate, there’s going to be someone who is in my shoes who needs this. So here are some things I feel every one-and-done parent should hear.
By CinKay7 years ago in Families
Dad... A Daughter's First Love
As I'm sitting here, trying to figure out how to start this off, I'm almost at a loss for words. Not because there's nothing to say about my dear old dad, but because there is so much to say about him, that I don't even know where to start. His name was Roger Whited; he was 57 years old, living his life to the fullest. He was a proud father to three beautiful daughters, an ecstatic grandpa, and an affectionate husband. A loyal friend, a beloved brother, a faithful son, and so much more. On August 15, 2018, this amazing man was taken away from us. The man who in my mind, would've lived until he was nearly 100, left this world so unexpectedly. At this time, I don't want to share the details of what was wrong with my sweet daddy, I just want to reminisce about the good memories for now.
By Kristen Burgess7 years ago in Families
My Dear Mother-in-Law
Can we talk about mothers-in-law for a second? I know I left my last story half way there and I promise I will finish it, eventually. However, I wrote that story on my 5-hour flight to see my boyfriend since he started his PhD and moved 2000 miles away. I was so happy I was going to spend some time with him that it inspired me to tell our story. I’ve been here for two weeks and they have been bliss. It’s like our own little heaven where we help each other around the house and never wear pants just because we can. Now, his mother showed up Thursday and tomorrow, Sunday, is my last day here before I go back home and don’t see him again for god knows how long. She arrived and I already knew it was going to be difficult since I don’t particularly like her but I know he is happy she’s here and that’s all that matters to me.
By Diana B7 years ago in Families