Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Families.

God of the Storm
The following is a story of time I spent with my dad. A few years after these events, he killed himself. He was a depressed, recovering alcoholic who took his own life for reasons I sometimes feel I fathom, but can’t agree with.
By Zachariah Wahrer8 years ago in Families
5 Ways to Be a Better Parent
Just remember to breathe. Parenting is a journey with so many paths and roadways, sometimes the way isn't clear and we may need to pave our own, but ultimately it is a learning experience for you and your child. Parenting can be done a number of ways, some good and some bad, but in the end, the goal is to create a productive and positive future for your child. These five tips are not concrete guidelines but are tools that may prove helpful in your life, within or outside of your parenting life.
By Sam8 years ago in Families
Being Adopted
Take a deep breath, close your eyes and think back to when you were ten months old. Do you remember anything? If you say yes, you’re lying. Few adults can remember anything that happened to them before the age of three. A new study has documented that it's about age seven when our earliest memories begin to fade, a phenomenon known as “childhood amnesia.” Sounds like a stupid question, right? Yeah, well you’d be surprised. 99 percent of the time I tell someone I adopted, I immediately regret it. I was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and was adopted when I was ten months old. So, please don’t ask me if I speak Amharic or if I remember what Ethiopian food tastes like.
By A Person8 years ago in Families
The Participation Trophy and How It's Ruining Everything
I'm not a dad yet, but I'm going to be soon. I do have nieces and nephews and I see children out in the world. It's kind of made me afraid to be a dad. It seems like every time I leave the comfort of my own home, I'm confronted with the behavior of some spoiled little asshole. You all know what I'm talking about. It might even be your kid! Before people get offended, I want to make it clear that I don't place sole blame on parents for this. I blame the direction our society has gone in and is still going in.
By OJ Diomedi8 years ago in Families
Healing From a Toxic Parent. Top Story - November 2017.
A toxic parent, by definition, is someone whose negative behaviour inflicts emotional damage on a child's sense of self. This negative behaviour can come in many forms (emotional, physical, ect...) but regardless of how the behaviour manifests itself, it can go on to affect a child throughout their entire life.
By The Talented Teapot .8 years ago in Families
Autism & Us
I have two daughters, aged 4 and 6, both diagnosed with autism, with the youngest (Lilah) also having OCD and pica. At the moment, Sophie is non verbal, though spouts random words and nods her head at every question. Lilah has just started to say “do want” “I want” “yes I want...(insert item)” and has come on very well with her communication in these past few months.
By Laura Lewis8 years ago in Families
Things My Mother Told Me That Turned Out to Be True
Oh, Mommy dearest, how often did I doubt you. Not only did I think I was the smartest kid around who knew better than any adult, but back then I truly believed that everything you predicted and advised was wrong. From the boyfriend you assured me was bad news and the shoes you said would kill my feet to the bigger things in life like being a mother, a wife, and an intelligent human being, almost everything you said had some merit to it. That's right, Mom, you aren't reading this wrong, I am here to say the three words you so absolutely deserve to hear: YOU. WERE. RIGHT. Of course, many of life's lessons I had to learn on my own and I do believe that's how children should, but there are those few pieces of wisdom and experiences you lived through that you shared with such strong persuasion that I should have listened to. Here are just a few.
By Jus L'amore8 years ago in Families
Mom of Twins at 17
As my title suggests, I am a young mother of two beautiful children who are twins and I am going to discuss some of the ups and downs that I have experienced.
By Katrina Chamberlain8 years ago in Families
Two Women and a Baby
It's a daunting thing to accept when you realize you're a lesbian that having children may have well been either put on hold or taken completely off the table. That's what I thought at least. My girlfriend and I had been together for seven years when we decided it was time to expand our family. We looked around online at our options, and holy heck, we were out of our league. The prices seemed outrageous. What two heterosexual people, medical reasons aside, can typically do for free, or at least keep making attempts, would cost us an arm and a leg. We gave up hope for awhile that this would ever happen for us.
By Heather Martin-Miles8 years ago in Families
An Important Part of My Life - My Brother Lee's Death
On Monday 29th July 2013 I went to the Mencap Summer Scheme with my brother Lee. He had been feeling fine all day until that night when he started to complain about feeling out of breath. He went on the nebuliser to try to normalise his breathing but a few minutes later Lee collapsed. He had suffered an aggressive asthma attack. My dad tried to carry out CPR on Lee while my mum called an ambulance. Once it arrived the paramedics took over from my Dad and Lee was sent to Antrim Area Hospital.
By Eoin Campbell8 years ago in Families
FB Comments: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Has this happened to you? You had a rough day — and so you post a little rant about it.... "Toddler colored on the walls while 7 year old bathed the cat in apple juice and the baby threw up all over the clean basket of laundry as if auditioning for the exorcist."
By Kristy Cuevas8 years ago in Families
I Don't like You Very Much, Mom
Momma, I just want to take the time to tell you why I have never really liked you. You always wanted the best for me and you always did the best for me.
By Victoria Feil8 years ago in Families