parents

The boundless love a parent has for their child is matched only by their capacity to embarrass them.

In My Father’s Shadow . AI-Generated.
--- A son’s journey to understand the man who raised him I used to think my father was made of stone. His words were few, his face unreadable, and his love — if that’s what it was — came disguised as silence. Growing up, I never once saw him cry, laugh out loud, or say “I’m proud of you.” He was a man of hard hands and harder habits, shaped by a world I couldn’t understand.
By Ik3 months ago in Families
Finding Strength in the Absence: Growing Up Without My Father. AI-Generated.
Finding Strength in the Absence: Growing Up Without My Father Growing up, I always imagined what life would be like if my father had been present. For the first few years of my life, he was there — attending birthdays, giving advice, and sharing small moments. But by the time I reached high school, his presence began to fade. Calls became rare, messages shorter, and eventually, he was gone completely. By my third year of university, I discovered he had blocked my number. That moment of realization hit me harder than I expected.
By Nina3 months ago in Families
5Ways I Learned to Stay Strong Without a Parent. AI-Generated.
The Strength I Found When One Parent Walks Away Growing up without a parent around is hard. Every small win feels heavier, and every challenge feels intensely lonely. I know this because my dad left during my final year of high school and completely stopped supporting me through university. My little brother, only eleven at the time, felt it too. Watching him struggle with confusion and sadness made the absence brutally real for me. I realized I had to become not just a sister, but the source of stability he could rely on.
By Nina3 months ago in Families
Sleepy Eyes
The night was calm, heavy with the scent of autumn. In a small village house, Jamala Bibi lay on her bed with a rosary in one hand and prayer beads in the other. The half-moon cast a faint light across the room as she looked toward the door again and again, her heart waiting for someone who never came home on time.
By shahkar jalal3 months ago in Families
Life With an Absent Father . AI-Generated.
Life With an Absent Father: Growing Up Learning to Stand Alone I remember being in Grade 12, sitting on my bed, staring at my phone, hoping he would call. Even a short message from him felt like a lifeline. I would check my phone obsessively, imagining that the next notification would be from him, a simple “How are you?” or “I’m proud of you.” But slowly, things started to change. His messages became shorter, the calls less frequent, and the warmth I once counted on disappeared. It wasn’t dramatic or sudden just the quiet drift into absence that made every day feel heavier.
By Nina3 months ago in Families
"A Child's Prayer"
“A Child’s Prayer” is the name of a song that Primary age children (3 - 11) sing in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I sang it when I was that age. In the decades since then, it has gained greater significance for me. Without making any conscious decision to do so, this song has become the default soundtrack for suffering, and plays on repeat in my head when I worry. The special, sacred meaning it has for me I now share with my daughter and granddaughter. I’ll tell you why…
By Luke Haymons3 months ago in Families
When News Becomes Noise: How Media Stress Affects Children’s Emotional Safety
Adults can analyze the news. Children only feel it. It’s a regular morning. The family sits around the breakfast table. The TV hums softly in the background, reporting an economic crisis.
By Morteza Shamsian Norasteh3 months ago in Families
My Mother’s Voice in Every Room I Leave
My Mother’s Voice in Every Room I Leave By Hasnain Shah A meditation on grief, memory, and healing I didn’t realize how loud silence could be until she was gone.
By Hasnain Shah3 months ago in Families
A Picnic By the Lake
It’s hard to deny that things happen for a reason. This is the story of a strange, unexpected chain of events that led to one unbelievable coincidence.
By S. E. Linn3 months ago in Families
Hope Beneath the Mulberry Tree
Someone is sitting in the shade of a mulberry tree, someone is lying without a bed. The owner is a teak tree, the farmer is tied to a pole. The farmer is drunk, his head bound tightly to the post. Fever has fled from the mother, the cow has been beaten, and the farmer has given Gulalai a mountain.
By shahkar jalal3 months ago in Families
10 Family-Friendly Staycation Destinations to Try This Autumn Half Term
Over 60% of holidaymakers are choosing to forego the flights for a UK break this year, with 34% planning to make this their main holiday. Plus, with many of us expected to spend almost £1,300 on our UK staycation, the market is expected to rise to a value of over £3 billion.
By Millie Bradbury3 months ago in Families
My Family Is EveryThing For Me
Some people say happiness is found in wealth, fame, or success. For me, happiness begins and ends at home with my family. They are not just the people I live with; they are the reason I keep moving forward, no matter how hard life gets.
By Alpha Man3 months ago in Families