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Most recently published stories in Families.
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September 3, 2017 The Initiative. July 24, 1987 I had turned 9 nearly two months prior and as I held a balloon that my mom had given me earlier that day during the parade, I sat on the side of the hill at Liberty Park awaiting the fireworks that were scheduled to start in the next few minutes.
By Wendy Finau8 years ago in Families
What It Is Like Having a Gay Activist Uncle
My uncle is my inspiration for being a part of the LGBTQ community because he conducts himself with dignity, and if he knows you feel a certain way about a subject, he discusses it with you instead of tensing up and getting defensive. He is what I aspire to be daily when I try to have conversation with someone. He currently is in and out of Ireland conducting research and trying to promote the LGBTQ community as best as he can.
By May Bainter8 years ago in Families
The Second Time Around
Leonard poured his coffee into the old, cracked mug his son had made him, slow and steady as the hot steam fogged his glasses. He could hear the pitter-patter of the rain against his kitchen window – slow and steady. He carefully lifted the warm mug to his dry, leather lips. Leonard was turning seventy in three days. Three days and he would be over the hill, or was it under the hill? He scratched his head and took another sip of coffee. Most days he loved to hear the sound of the rain bouncing off the windowpane, but not today. Today he felt angry and tired, more tired than usual. He gently lifted himself from the kitchen table and shuffled over to the phone. For a second, he thought about calling his son. Then, for another second longer, he thought about calling his doctor. He took a deep breath in and then out. He knew neither call would make him feel any better. But still he picked up the phone, listening to the dial tone hum and hum until he couldn’t take the humming anymore. He hung up the receiver and promised himself, out loud, that tomorrow he would call his son, Victor. Tomorrow they would talk just like old times and tomorrow, maybe, Victor wouldn’t hate him anymore.
By Camille LeZotte8 years ago in Families
Fickle Fifteen
The day was scorching, just like the day before it. The air always feels hotter in the Dominican Republic for some reason. My mom bought my flight the day before, assuring me that my school work would be fine, that the trip would only be for a few days, and that I had to go say my final goodbyes to my great-grandma, who by the way was more alive than ever staring at me from across the table. I tried to find a way to address the elephant in the room; the fact that it's the middle of the school week, my grandma isn't dying, and yet here I am. I hear the phone ring and thank God for the break in the tension. It's for me. I race over to the phone hoping someone was going to let me in on the big secret soon; nobody has explained anything to me since I got off the plane.
By Cristal Hernandez8 years ago in Families
Marriage on the Brain
As a mother of a seven year old, you would think that the normal dinner conversation would be about video games and toys. Nope, not my seven year old. My son Mikyle is smart for his age and very advanced, he was surrounded by a lot of adults as a toddler. His sarcastic charm made his personality. Now I’m going to take you back to when it all started. One day leaving the staff nursery, we said goodbye to a little girl and her mom. The little girl moved in to give Mikyle a kiss, but he didn’t realize and he slightly moved and she mistakenly kisses him on the lips. Shocked and embarrassed Mikyle, started to freak out and shouts, “Oh no I kissed Hannah on the lips now I have to ask her dad for her hand in marriage and I have to get a job I can’t go to pre-K.” I told him it’s ok it was a accident and he’s not in trouble and that it doesn’t mean he has to marry her. He says, “If you kiss someone on the lips you have to marry them." The parents and I joked about it before I took my embarrassed Mikyle home. That’s when things started to get serious for him about marriage and love.
By Ayanna Dore8 years ago in Families
A Life Lesson From a 7 Year Old
It makes me sad when I realize how much we live in such a world of judgement. We as a society are constantly passing judgement on others about so many things, from the way that someone looks to how big their house is or how nice their car is. We judge the way that others make decisions and are so quick to share our opinions when we don't have any idea what has happened in their life to get them to where they are today. The biggest judgement that I have faced is how I parent, and I know that many are in the same boat. So what if my kids don't always match. I have let my girls dress themselves from the age of 2 because I want them to develop their own style and their own personality, not because I am too lazy to make them look like they are ready for a photo shoot. What does it matter if they stay in pajamas all day on a Sunday when we are just laying around watching movies for the day? Who wants to be uncomfortable when they are trying to relax? Yes, my kids brush their hair, but we don't spend our days scrolling Pinterest for 30 minute hair ideas just so that we again look like we are ready for a photo shoot. I have 4 girls. They all have their own personality and they all like different things. Sometimes they care about what they look like and sometimes they don't, and some judge me because of that. There are some moms that really want to spend hours on their kids outfit choices and hair styles, and that is ok. There are some moms that want their kids to earn straight A's in school, but I am ok with a C because I don't base their future only on grades in school, and again, that is okay. I am not saying that they are bad moms, but at the same time, I am also saying that I am not a bad mom either. My house tends to be a mess 90% of the time, but does that make me a bad mom? No. It means that I let my kids have fun and I am ok with clutter. It is who I am as a parent. It is the way that I parent. Yes, I make my kids do their chores and make them earn their cell phones being paid. I make my girls read for 30 minutes every single night during the school year. I punish them when they do wrong. I teach them to be independent. And yes, there are times when I struggle and wonder if I am doing things the right way. But is there a "right way?" I don't know that there is. As long as you are putting a roof over their head, does it matter how much that roof costs? As long as they have food to eat, does it matter that most, if not all, is generic? As long as they have a bed to sleep in, does it matter if they have to share a room? If they have clothes to wear, does it matter if they are from a thrift store rather than brand new and name brand? No. It does not matter at all. So why do we judge ourselves against one another so often? We ALL love our children, but show it in different ways, because we are different. A few months ago is when all of this really came to light for me. I was having a bad day because I had a busy day at work and had listened to others judge the way that I parent for a few days prior. I was cleaning out Reese's book bag and in it was a card that she had made. I opened it and read what was written by my beautiful 7 year old (I will write in correct form as there were spelling errors and I want my readers to understand). "I am sorry but you have been mean a couple days. I still like you, but you need to treat others the way that you want to be treated. Love you, Reese." I must have read this card 100 times. My 7 year old daughter made a card for her friend after an argument. Not only did she make her a card, but she is sharing a lesson with this friend and still says that she loves her at the end, even when this little girl was mean to her. THIS card is how I knew deep down, I am doing something right as a mother. It doesn't matter what other moms say or what outsiders think. In my mind, all moms have good days and they have bad days. The best thing that we can do is support each other and show love for one another because believe it or not, we are all on the same journey!
By Brandi Nicole8 years ago in Families
Letters from Yesterday
Under my bed, there is a box. Though most people have boxes under their beds, those boxes usually have forgotten toys, clothing, or other unimportant articles which would be just as well in the trash as they are under the bed. But the box under my bed is filled with some of the most important things to me. When opened, one will find colorful cards for about every occasion inside. Most people wouldn’t think twice about those cards. They are just pieces of paper with forced greetings on the front and a short "personal" message inside. For most, those things would be easily thrown away shortly after being received, but the cards within this box hold the most important thing in the world to me. The words of a father I never got the chance to grow up with.
By Zephryna Lunatari8 years ago in Families
