Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
How My Daughter Changed My Life
Dear Babygirl, I want you to know that your entire life, I've tried every day to be nothing but perfect for you. I never wanted to give you the chance to see that I made mistakes. You just mean so much to me, I just wanted you to look up to me and think, 'Wow, mom you're perfect, I wanna grow up to be just like you.' I didn't want you to see me as the woman that gave up on everything, because that's who I really am. I never wanted you to know that. All I wanted you to know was that I loved you. I love you more then anything in this world. I was 16 when people found out I was pregnant. They all said, "You're too young to take care of a baby." They said I was making a mistake. You are far from a mistake. At age 16, the only thing I thought about daily was suicide. That didn't stop until I got to hold you in my arms. I remember the day clearly. I was in the delivery room for 13 hours. I thought I was going to hate myself more than I ever had before, but there you were, 9 lbs. 9 oz. Big and beautiful. I had never seen anything as beautiful as you. All the weight I felt on my chest just lifted. For the first time in years, I felt happy. And that was because of you. My whole life I had fought with depression. I felt that I had nobody. When I gave birth to you, it was suddenly gone. It felt as if I could breathe again. I knew that the feeling of loneliness would be gone forever as long as I had you. You saved my life. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be here right now. You gave me hope. You gave me faith. You made me realize that everything silly little thing in life isn't worth dying for. My whole life I looked at the things that made me want to die. I never thought about looking at the things that made me want to live. I never appreciated your grandpa and grandma. I never appreciated the opportunity to be the best me I could be. I looked at the sadness in my life and put it in the spotlight. It wasn't until the day I had you that I started to notice all the little things I had. I started to notice all the people that were in the hospital waiting for you to arrive. All my friends and family. Even the people I had thought hated me came. You showed me what love really felt like. You showed me greatness from the second you arrived. I knew from that day forward you were going to do great things. As you've grown, I've been here. I love watching you advance each day. I love hearing each word you learn. I watched you take your first steps. Your first run across the yard. I heard the first word you ever spoke. Just from watching you exceed in life I had realized how much you're going to accomplish. You're going to go from the girl that changed my life, to the girl that changed the world. There are so many things I wish I could explain to you how much you have changed my life for the better, but there's honestly not enough words in the world to let you know how you saved my life. I hope you understand that you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. There's not a thing in my life that I would ever change. I wouldn't change anything before or after I had you. Four years ago I never would've thought I would be out living on my own with a family. I never would've saw so much happiness in my future. Everything I am now is thanks to you. Without you I wouldn't have this joy in my heart that will always be there. Through the good days and the bad days.
By Destiny Edmonson8 years ago in Families
Is Social Media Oversharing to Blame for Cyber Abuse?
It is mind-blowing to see and hear about so many stories of cyber abuse: cyber bullying, cyber stalking, child pornography, sex trafficking, body shaming, baby shaming, etc. Yet people from all area codes and backgrounds continue to furnish unnecessary information on the web.
By Crystal E.8 years ago in Families
Pregnancy
Pregnancy. The thing we all eventually want to do to spread our little demons on Earth. They may say you'll miss being pregnant or that it's fun and exciting but I'm going to tell you the things that aren't so pretty. I found out at right about six weeks. I just remember looking in the mirror and finding myself getting stretch marks without gaining weight! What the hell, right? So I order some cream to help it go away and get ready for bed. I go to lay down and I swear to god it was the worst pain I had ever felt. My boobs were falling off I swear. I couldn't touch them, lay on them, nothing. It was ridiculous! I ended up going to the doctor for a routine check-up and just casually asked for a pregnancy test like I did for the past year. Let me remind you, I'm 17 at this point. The doctor walks in, asks how I'm doing, and starts up a conversation as usual when she tells me, "You're pregnant!" What did I just hear? So I went from a 12th grader in high school to a 12th grader in high school having a baby before the legal age that needs to get the hell outta school. Yeah. I remember telling my school counselor that I was having a baby with a former student of hers. She was all excited, as was my mom. I straight up told her I need to get the hell out of school before this baby comes. She agrees and sets me up with six online courses that I need to finish in two months so I can graduate early and be done with school way before the baby comes. I do it and pass all my classes with a 79 percent and higher. Baby now has two graduated parents already. The first few months were a breeze besides trying to remember to take those prenatal pills you need every morning. I remember my first time yawning since knowing I was pregnant and it seemed like something was wrong because it hurt to yawn unless I arched my back. Scared first time mother goes crying to her mother about how, "Oh I'm going to lose the baby mom what do I do?" She has me explain and laughs at me. Yeah, that was my first scare during this long pregnancy. Let's skip to about four months. I remember that someone said to never lay on your stomach when pregnant and it's an obvious reason why. Well I didn't listen and I laid on my stomach and let me tell you, don't do it. I was in so much pain from the extra pressure on my gut cause of my baby I literally cried. Worst pain that had come yet. Still had a month to find out gender and that was the longest month there was. At 19 weeks I found out I was having a boy, hoping she made a mistake I asked,"Are you sure?" Well she showed me and sure enough he wasn't shy at all. Damn, I wanted a girl but hey, as long as he's healthy. That's when the discharge started. Ugh it was so gross! It felt like I was peeing myself but when I used the bathroom, lo and behold, it was a discharge. Me by this time, not being able to shave my legs very well or anything, just kind of gave up on shaving all together except my armpits. Putting on tennis shoes? Nope. Flip flops it is. Wearing jackets from pre-pregnancy? Almost too small already. It was awful. You can't keep anything the same! Your clothes, your shoes, your food, your routine? All ruined. Let's not forget about feeling like you're starving because you can't keep anything down. At six months, everything sort of calmed down. Picked out a name, got baby stuff, and finally settled for a kinda same routine. Then I hit seven months. Worst thing to happen yet. I started getting super sick again and not being able to do anything comfortably. It was a mess. Hurt too much to stand and do the dishes, took too much time to cook dinner, my feet swelled, and tried to lay down and not get cramps from gas. It was a nightmare. Round ligament pain and Braxton Hicks were in store for me. Not to mention the contractions that started around seven months and one week. I decided let's go camping! I always loved camping but this was the worst. I couldn't keep a temperature that was comfortable, couldn't sit comfortably, couldn't lay down, nothing! Not only was I shitty but the weather decided to take a turn. Blew our tent away, put out our fire so we couldn't cook breakfast, and then it started raining. We packed up all of our stuff and got ready to go when we realized our van battery had died. Great! I'm sitting in this van having a contraction while try to get this thing started when we lose hope. Yeah, we're stuck in the hills with no service and a dead van. A couple cars pull by us and ask us if we got this but are unwilling to help or unprepared like us. The last car finally says they can help after sitting there for about two hours. Thank god. So we jump it and go home to me being a bitch because I just want this baby out of me! I'm ignoring my boyfriend, throwing things around, and being a monster just to find out that I wanted food. Got food, laid down, and went to bed. For the past two months I've been dreaming about holding this baby and it pisses me off to wake up to no baby right? So I go to my mom's room and cry, saying I don't want to be pregnant anymore and just go on a rant about how my dreams are making this worse for me and it's not even enjoyable anymore. Well, I'm now eight months pregnant and want him out and to be done being pregnant because I don't believe this will be one of those things I miss. In the end, this long and awful pregnancy will be worth it but as of right now I want nothing to do with it even though I have no choice.
By Jaden Friel8 years ago in Families
Five—Wait—Six Ways to Show Mom You Care
1) A Simple Hug: Squeeze Someone Tightly in One's Arms, Typically to Express Affection. A simple hug can make a mom or grandma or aunt or sister feel happy and appreciated. Shoot, it can make anyone feel happy and appreciated! Affection is key. Somehow, when someone wraps their arms around you, you feel bliss. When your child comes up, wraps their arms around you for no reason at all, it is the best feeling in the world. It makes you so happy, you could cry. Everyone needs a hug every once in a while, especially the woman who gave birth to you! You wouldn't be here if it weren't for her.
By Katherine Shear8 years ago in Families
Struggling With Forgiveness
I met him in the seventh grade. He was in the the eighth grade. My soul mate. Now, almost 12 years later, we're still together with a son and we're pregnant. We had our son young. Just like any other parents, we wanted the best for our family and to build an amazing life for our child. (The love of my life, we'll call D.) We had an incredible opportunity presented right before us and we couldn't say no. You see, D's mom, we'll call her M, had recently moved down to Tennessee and she offered for us to come stay with her and her boyfriend and start fresh. We had gone down to visit and the view from the back porch was to die for. I would wake up in the morning and sit on the back porch, drink my morning coffee, smoke my morning cigarette, and just take it all in. So beautiful. Peaceful. Although it was extremely hard to leave all of my family here in Ohio, I knew if we didn't at least try, we would regret it and constantly wonder what if.
By Halie Marie8 years ago in Families
From Oatmeal Cookies to Soup on a Plate
My grandfather is a retired Navy Chief of 30 years. He has always told his favorite Navy stories. When I was little I used to get tired of the same story over and over again, but now I crave to hear the story of how his buddies gave his friend a swirly for losing a bet just one more time.
By Hailey Corum8 years ago in Families
Let's Celebrate Parents' Day!
Today, as I was driving home from church, I began to think about my plans for Mothers' Day. For me, it would involve a trip to the local cemetery where mine is buried just to give her my wishes in person. I'd only have to go back the next month, June, in order to return to the same grave to give my Dad his wishes as well on Fathers' Day. Without a question, both days are going to be extremely difficult.
By Maurice Bernier8 years ago in Families
Final Goodbye to a Soldier
This is strictly a letter to one man. Not all soldiers earn dishonor. Most Earn Respect. Dear Dad, I debated for a very long time whether or not to write you this letter, a letter that sadly comes to an end where we part ways. Honestly, I hope this letter brings you many tears that run past your chin, but I have come to expect less emotion from you. I realize that as we arrive to this point in both of our lives we have come to crave each others' presence less and less, and if there is one thing my mother has taught me in this life it is that it is okay. The saddest part is, my dad broke my heart before any boy had the chance to. I eventually decided to put as much effort into contacting and seeing you as you did with me—that’s why we don’t talk or see each other anymore. One day you’ll regret not being there. You’ll regret the birthdays and the holidays missed. You’ll regret not watching me grow up and not being in my life, you’ll regret everything and by then it will be too late. Even if you realized it as you read this letter, I will already be gone. One day I made the decision to move on without you. I just wish that day would have came the same day you realized you didn’t want to be around anymore. I would have cried a lot less tears, felt a lot less pain, and missed you a hell of a lot less. If I could show you how awful you made me feel, you would never be able to look me in the eyes again. I used to feel a rush of emotions when I thought about you, then I was simply numb, and now I hardly think about you at all. It’s sad how someone can go from being the reason you stayed up at night waiting for them to come home, to the reason you cried yourself to sleep so many nights.
By Regan Frey8 years ago in Families
Meaningful Inexpensive Mother's Day Gifts
Mother's Day is closing in and you're trying to figure out what you want to do for your Mom, but you don't necessarily have massive amounts of funds to buy her something extravagant. Well, you came to the right place! I'm going to give you a couple of ideas for gifts that you could do for your Mother that will mean a lot to her but also save you some money. Now keep in mind this isn't JUST for Mother's Day; these ideas could also be for Father's Day, birthdays, Christmas, or practically any occasion.
By Samantha Sterling8 years ago in Families
A Story of Motherly Love. Top Story - May 2018.
From the moment I entered this world decades ago, I have always had a unique connection to my mother. I would always know when it was her holding me and I instinctively associated her very presence with support and comfort. Perhaps it was because I had previously spent nine months growing inside of her. Or maybe it’s a survival instinct from nature. That’s just one of life’s many mysteries.
By Rebecca Sharrock8 years ago in Families
