grandparents
Becoming a grandparent makes getting older something to look forward to - all the fun of parenting, without the hassle.
How Childhood Attachment Shapes Adult Heartbreak
I was twenty-eight years old, sitting in my therapist's office for the fifth time that month, crying over yet another failed relationship. This time it was Marcus—kind, stable, emotionally available Marcus—who I'd pushed away for reasons I couldn't explain. "Tell me about your parents," my therapist said gently, sliding the tissue box closer. I rolled my eyes. "Really? We're doing the whole 'blame the parents' thing?" She smiled softly. "I'm not asking you to blame anyone. I'm asking you to understand yourself." What followed was the most uncomfortable, enlightening conversation of my life. Because as I started talking about my childhood, patterns emerged that I'd never seen before. Patterns that explained every heartbreak, every self-sabotage, every time I'd chosen someone emotionally unavailable or run from someone who truly cared. My therapist was right. The blueprint for heartbreak had been drawn long before I ever fell in love. The First Language We Learn Attachment theory sounds complicated, but it's actually quite simple: the way our caregivers respond to us as children teaches us what to expect from relationships as adults. It's our first lesson in love, trust, and worthiness. My mother loved me—I never doubted that. But her love came with conditions. It appeared when I was good, obedient, successful. It vanished when I was needy, emotional, or imperfect. I learned early that love was something I had to earn, not something I inherently deserved. My father? He was there but absent, physically present but emotionally distant. He worked late, hid behind newspapers, and responded to my excitement or sadness with the same uncomfortable silence. I learned that expressing needs pushed people away. So I stopped expressing them. I didn't know it then, but I was learning a language—the language of anxious attachment. And I would speak it fluently in every romantic relationship I'd ever have. The Dance We Can't Stop Repeating My first serious relationship was with Jake. He was charming, unpredictable, and emotionally unavailable. Our relationship was a rollercoaster—intensely passionate one week, ice-cold the next. I never knew where I stood, and that uncertainty drove me crazy. But here's the twisted part: it also felt familiar. The push and pull, the constant need to prove myself, the anxiety of wondering if today would be a good day or a bad day—it all echoed my childhood. I was trying to earn Jake's consistent love the same way I'd tried to earn my mother's approval. When he'd pull away, I'd chase harder. When he'd show affection, I'd melt with relief. I was addicted to the cycle because somewhere deep inside, I believed this was what love looked like. After Jake came David, then Ryan, then Christopher. Different faces, same pattern. I was attracted to men who made me work for their attention, who kept me guessing, who made me feel like I had to be perfect to be loved. The Good Guy Problem Then I met Marcus. Sweet, consistent, emotionally intelligent Marcus. He called when he said he would. He communicated clearly. He didn't play games. He made me feel safe. And I couldn't stand it. Within three months, I was picking fights over nothing. I felt suffocated by his reliability. I started noticing flaws that weren't really flaws—he texted too much, he was too eager, his kindness felt boring. The anxiety I'd felt with the others was missing, and without it, I didn't recognize the feeling as love. I broke up with him on a Tuesday night, citing some vague excuse about "not being ready." He took it gracefully, which only made me feel worse. That's when I ended up in therapy, finally asking the question I should have asked years earlier: Why do I keep destroying the good things in my life? Unpacking the Invisible Suitcase My therapist explained that I had an anxious attachment style, likely formed by my inconsistent childhood experiences with love and attention. Children with anxious attachment grow into adults who:
By Ameer Moaviaabout a month ago in Families
What You’ll Pay for Assisted Living and Why It Varies
A family tries to notice, however, not a bill or a brochure, but a change. The parent misses meals and forgets appointments or appears to be even more isolated than usual. The real issue is safety, comfort and everyday assistance long before the price comes into the picture. As soon as the assisted living comes into the discussion, it is necessary to comprehend the cost. Having an idea of what you are going to pay and why the numbers are different make families progress forward without ambiguousness.
By Laura Partonabout a month ago in Families
The Letter that Silenced the Cannons
The noise that hurts Lucien was eight years old and had hazel-colored eyes. Before, he loved to run in the fields behind his house, catch grasshoppers and listen to the blackbirds singing in the early morning. Before, his dad told him stories of brave knights and his mom made apple cakes that filled the whole kitchen with their aroma.
By La P'tite Pinolaiseabout a month ago in Families
FAST Scale Dementia Explained: Stages, Symptoms, and the Dementia Scale
Let’s talk about something that can feel confusing and even a little scary at first—dementia stages. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “What does this stage really mean?” or “What should I expect next?” you’re not alone. Most people don’t wake up knowing how dementia progresses. They learn as they go. Often while caring for someone they love.
By Jame Roarkabout a month ago in Families
Why Recording Your Child’s Snoring Might Save Their Life
When Snoring Isn’t “Just Snoring”: A Grandmother’s Wake‑Up Call About Children’s Sleep and Breathing Most people think of snoring as an adult problem—something that happens to tired parents or aging friends who refuse to wear their CPAP machines. But I learned the hard way that snoring in children can be a warning sign we cannot afford to ignore.
By Alexandria Hypatiaabout a month ago in Families
Mommy, are we there yet?
Do you travel to see your family for the holidays? It's almost Christmas, and we are on the interstate, traveling to see friends and family. Most of them live out of state but today is our second day on the road to grandma's house.
By Elizabeth Woodsabout a month ago in Families
7 Ways a Pediatric Clinic Helps Parents Avoid Emergency Room Visits
Parents never get to choose when a child starts feeling unwell. Symptoms tend to appear late, often once the day slows down, offices close, and worry builds quickly in the background. An after hours pediatric clinic helps parents avoid emergency room visits when access and pediatric experience align. Pediatric providers often explain that many nighttime concerns seem urgent at first, yet careful evaluation during evening hours and weekends frequently keeps families out of the emergency room while still protecting a child’s health.
By Piper Burchabout a month ago in Families
Painful but Important: Signs Death Is Near in Dementia’s Last Stage
One of the most emotional painful experiences that a family may experience is to witness one of its members in the last stage of dementia. Dementia is not just a memory disorder- it gradually impacts on the body, communication, awareness and tasks of doing simple things in life. As disease advances most families start asking themselves whether the end is near and what they are likely to expect.
By Rachel Randallabout a month ago in Families
