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I Won't Grow Up!
Of all of the jobs that have affected me the most and helped (I hope) to make a positive impact on the world is babysitting. There is a lot more in depth to the job than the name implies…mostly the children being cared for aren’t babies and we, the caregivers, are providing more than simply ‘sitting’ with them. This alone suggests that the children are pretty much left to their own devises for care, food, exercise, and cognitive skills while we, the ‘sitters’, are only there to keep an eye out for them and so the parent(s) can say to themselves, ‘the children are not alone, so everything is fine.’ Wrong!
By Merrie Jackson4 years ago in Families
The One Where Monique Has "Fun"
Today my horse and I had a training session with one of our favourite humans: Katie, from Equestrian Movement. We have been trying to build Comanche’s confidence through sparking his curiosity. Part of this process is learning about what he enjoys doing and spending time “playing” together. Here’s the thing though: I am not good at having “fun.” Don’t get me wrong, I like fun. As an actor I get paid to play make-believe all day; but nobody would ever describe me as loose.
By Monique Molnar4 years ago in Families
The Days Are Long
My alarm goes off at 7 a.m., but my daughter has been awake for an hour. She's an early riser. I'm a night owl. She's learned to turn on the television and command the Fire TV to start playing Peppa Pig as I go downstairs to make her breakfast and lunch. Simultaneously, I do the dishes and check on the cats.
By Shannon Moose4 years ago in Families
How to love your Parents.
We all are guilty of not paying enough attention to our birth givers. We tend to get lost in our lives, with questions like how do I earn more? or get a girlfriend/boyfriend? or get over my break-up? We question ourselves often that Are we pretty enough? Do people love me? If I die will anyone miss me? Well, I don’t know about the world but our parents will always love us no matter what, give us more than we ask for, think we are the prettiest person ever and do almost everything to protect us from the dangers of life.
By Nikita Dhumal4 years ago in Families
Listen To The Pear Tree, Bambino.
It was always the same routine each day. He would walk the cobbled streets with his birch twig, swinging it back and forth with his cadence. With each swing of his leg, out came the twig, like a metronome keeping time with his walk. He couldn’t quite remember how he started this peculiar habit, but thought it was probably around the time Nonna taught him of tree spirits.
By E.K. Daniels4 years ago in Families
Tender Fruit
We were 16, and he was beautiful. The attention he paid me was intoxicating. I spent every shift scanning strangers’ produce. I spent every shift feeling the flesh of the fruits and vegetables in the palms of my hands, gently cupping the peaches and pears so as not to bruise their delicate skin. I spent every shift searching him out. Between the beep… beep… beeps of the register, my eyes would scan over the low racks, trying to catch a glimpse of tan arms I knew would be stocking an aisle somewhere. Would he be looking at me this time? He almost always was. My stomach would somersault as his green eyes drank me in. Blood would rush to my face and head, making the world shift in and out of focus. But my vision would clear in a second, and he’d still be there. Wanting me.
By Amanda Kelly4 years ago in Families
A House With A Pear Tree
Jack and Jill had been living in their bungalow for almost 10 years now. Out of nowhere one day the landlord arrived and told them he wanted to sell the house so that he could retire early, he apologized for the inconvenience and left. They were left both speechless and motionless.
By Saoire O Brien4 years ago in Families
The Magical Pear Tree
In the heart of the Ozarks, a family flourished in the warmth of their togetherness, their home a sanctuary of laughter and shared moments. The parents, always eager for new experiences, would whisk their children away on picnics, playing until exhaustion set in. But one day, their world was shattered. Their only child, the beacon of their lives, fell gravely ill. Her name was Maggie. Yet, even in the face of this devastating news, the family's unity and love remained unshaken, a testament to the power of their bond in the face of adversity. It was this love and unity that would carry them through the darkest of times.
By Ronna Curtis4 years ago in Families
The Gift I Love the Most
In December 2017 my husband was signed up and ready to go to the Air Force basic training. We knew we wouldn't be able to chat on the phone, although he had heard rumors that they gave you an hour of phone time on the weekends to call home to family, but we weren't counting on it (didn't want to get our hopes up if it wasn't true). I didn't know how much of a heartache would be to not be able to talk or text him every day. Since I was a teenager I've had a phone and I now really understood how much we take that advantage for granted in our generation.
By Monica Bruce4 years ago in Families
Camp Sibling
“Reece! Reece! REECE!!!” The strain from screaming his name so loud instantaneously summoned tears to stream down my face as I lay helpless in the thick bushes; I have sustained a painful, sprained right knee. My body began to quiver as the freezing temperatures started to take its toll, and the robust trees that surround me provided minimum protection from the brisk winds. All I could do was to look up at the twinkling stars in the dark sky, asking myself how’d I get into such a predicament.
By Tish Dinkins4 years ago in Families
