parents
The boundless love a parent has for their child is matched only by their capacity to embarrass them.
He's the Reason I Always Wear Rubber Boots
I couldn’t hear a word he was saying. His mouth was moving in slow motion, spit barreling out and riding the air. His soul, painted four shades darker today, was flashing warning signals at me from within his chest. The skin on his forehead was so furrowed, it looked like it had burrowed away into itself. I bet his nerves were having a fist fight. I bet it was because of me.
By Natasha Lalonde8 years ago in Families
Life as a Daughter of Agent Orange, Part 6
Later this week my dad will be going into surgery to fix a problem caused by him not following post-surgery orders nearly a year ago (that is a chapter all on its own!). With this surgery looming on the horizon, I keep thinking about my past as his daughter. I see how far I have come since I left for England six years ago on the 22nd of January. Those six months were exactly what I needed; they allowed me to grow as an adult in a way I never would have experienced if I had stayed home. For the first time I was able to go where I wanted whenever I wanted without parental permission or explaining why I was leaving. I walked nearly everywhere in Newcastle and felt like one of the locals most of the time (except for when I opened my mouth to speak). Being in such a beautiful city with lovely people, I was free to detox from all the years of negativity. My study abroad group went on several excursions and aside from those, I visited a few places on my own. The countryside of Scotland was by far my favorite; I lost myself in the rolling hills dotted with sheep. I admit I was scared the first time I went to a new town all on my own with no form of backup, but that fear was simply because I had never been given the gift of exploration as a child. Once I found out I could travel on my own in a foreign country, my wings took off and my spirit soared.
By Elizabeth Kozlowski8 years ago in Families
Dear, Baby Boy
This year, you turn four-years-old. I walked into your life when you were one-year-and-three-months-old. I didn't know it then, but that was when my life changed forever. I had no idea what was in store for me. I had no idea of the struggles and late nights, nor did I know of all the love and snuggles I'd be getting throughout the years.
By Sierra Brown8 years ago in Families
You're Mum or Dad Until You're In Trouble
It is all too typical in many African households, well not only African households, but even other ethnic households, for parents to address us as "Mum" or "Dad" when they want a favor or when you are in their good graces. However, when you do wrong, you're called by your full names and in my particular experience in a Kenyan household, I know this all too well. My mother is one to sweet talk you into doing her favor but, once she calls me by my third name, Nduta, it is like an automatic alarm set off in my head: "Uh, oh .I did something wrong or I did not update her on something." I mean, that is not exactly my first thought, but, ''Oh, sh**.'' It might even start if your mum was saying something to you and you spoke back and said something you should not have said.
By Vanessa Nduta8 years ago in Families
Moose
It was early October, and it was finally time for my long-awaited moose hunt. I had waited ever since I was a little girl for this opportunity, and it was finally here. So, my father, the one that looks after me, and I packed up our stuff and left our city in Alaska. We were heading to a place called Bethel, AK. After a six-hour long drive, we made it to our hunting unit. It did not feel like home to us but it was warm and cozy, like my bed at home.
By Sura Whitt8 years ago in Families
The Butterfly Effect
Today, I'm exhausted. My day started at 5:30 this morning when my five year old son decided to creep up the stairs from his bedroom and turn on the living room television. Unfortunately, I was asleep on the couch, having fallen asleep there mid-work last night.
By Destinee Amber8 years ago in Families
Dealing with Unsupportive Parents
You can tell people things a million times. You may even venture so far to explain to them your reasoning with valid evidence. But the bottom line is: people are going to think what they want to think. And furthermore, people can't stand to see something different from what they grew up with. They cannot relate to what is being done, therefore they cease to understand it. Instead of attempting to take the time to understand things, they block it out or pretend it doesn't exist. They try to persuade you to be something you're not despite your feelings, which should be the most important. It's not about what they want. It's about what YOU want. What keeps YOU going. In times like these, as dramatic as it may sound, "drastic times call for drastic measures."
By Rachel Ihasz8 years ago in Families
Leaving the Nest
I love the question, "How are you surviving without your mom?" Or this one, "I would never survive without my mom, she does everything for me." I love the questions and statements solely because I have answers to them. To answer the question, "How are you surviving without your mom," is simple. I don't but in a way I am. Yes, I am married and living over 1,000 miles away in a different state. So you ask, how can you say you aren't surviving without your mom? I call my mom everyday. In this day and age, technology has given us the power to be able to speak to our loved ones with ease on a daily basis. If I ever have a question about finances, food, cleaning supplies, even relationship advice I know my mom is always a text or phone call away. So I do survive on my own but I will always need my momma.
By Brooke Clarke8 years ago in Families
Life as a Daughter of Agent Orange, Part 5
Part four was probably seen as a bit harsh, especially towards those outside my immediate family—it is how I viewed life at that time and remember, I was only a teenager. I did not have the maturity that I have now for better observation skills and discernment. In my emotionally wild teen years I was harsh and quick with my judgments and unforgiving with what I saw through those skewed eyes. I know there are things said and done that I have never been told about where people stood by dad and my family—as I said, as a teenager I was not the best person to share things with because of how quickly I would jump to the wrong judgmental conclusion. I do not apologize for what I wrote, but I want my readers to understand that is not who I am anymore; I lived what I lived, but I have grown past who I used to be.
By Elizabeth Kozlowski8 years ago in Families
Imperfect
So, the football game was on last night. It was one my father just had to watch with the TVs on full blast (that’s right, two of them). His hearing’s bad and he refuses to wear a hearing aid, even one of those subtle ones that are flesh-colored. I closed the door to the office I was working in and managed to sneak my dinner in there too. One of the rules of the apartment is not to eat in the office, but I made an exception for myself since he was blasting the volume on the two TVs and I didn’t want the headache I’d surely get if I went out there to eat or if I left the door open.
By Alexandra F8 years ago in Families
The Carnival
The night of the carnival that everyone had been so anxiously waiting for, for months now, had finally come. The thrilling annual small-town carnival that my friends and family members get so hyped up for. My mother, my father, my two sisters, and their friends all piled in the car, ready to go, getting crazy-excited to ride the salt and pepper shaker and the swings. Only, there was one thing.
By Samantha Brinker8 years ago in Families
