I used to believe that once I became a mom, I’d be a full-fledged adult. If I’m in charge of raising other human beings, I should be done growing up myself, right? Wrong. ⠀⠀ Apparently, life-long learning is a thing & some of us are slow learners… meaning we wrestle with the same bullshit over […]
Mom Used to Say Monday: The Burden of Responsibility is Gone
Sprawled out on my extra-long twin bed, phone cord stretched to the limit, I mustered up the courage to ask the question that’d been swimming in my head for months. “Why do you think we get along so well now? I mean, we never got along before I moved out. What’s changed?” “I think you […]
Mom Used to Say Monday: Stop telling me everything…
Growing up, my mom and I weren’t what you’d call “close.” Who am I kidding… we didn’t’ get a long at all… AT ALL. I knew with complete certainty that she loved me. And I was just as certain she didn’t like me very much. There were a million reasons why we never connected – […]
Mom Used to Say Monday: Just Because You Can Swim…
As a teenager, nothing sent my eyes rolling heavenward faster than my mom’s words of wisdom. She had a cliche at the ready in any situation. Little did I know, those quips would be rolling off my own tongue once I became a mom. Her most famous quote was this: “Just because you can swim, doesn’t mean I’m […]
Losing My Mom ~ What I Thought I Knew
I used to joke with my mom that our family was actually a coven of vampires. My paternal grandfather died at the age of 91. Followed by my maternal grandfather at 93. My Paternal grandmother was next at 95. Lastly, my maternal grandmother, 16 days shy of her 99th birthday. At the rate we were going, […]
How to be a Successful Parent Like Me
Many literary experts agree there are approximately seven plot lines in existence. Every story, no matter the setting, characters, climax, or resolution, is simply a variation of one of these seven main plots. One could argue this is true in parenting as well. The lessons which teach our children are all variations of a handful […]
What I’ve Learned After 16 Years of Marriage
This summer, I was married 16 years. Forty percent of my life has been spent committed to a man I met when I was a 22-year-old graduate student, living on my own for the very first time, on the cusp of beginning my first “real job.” On the eve of my 16th wedding anniversary, I was […]
The Awkward Conversations Aren’t Always with Your Kids
I used to think a “good mom” always responded with mama-bear-like ferocity when she learned her cub had been injured- physically or emotionally. Twelve years of motherhood had taught me differently. First, there’s no such thing as a “good mom.” We are all the best moms we can be with who we are and what […]
Have We Traded Empathy for Efficiency?
Standing in the doorway to my garage on Christmas Eve was like staring into the aisles of Toys R Us. To a casual observer, we were an episode of ‘Hoarders’ waiting to happen. 10 minutes later I sat crossed-legged on the family room floor, covered in layers of wrapping paper and bits of ribbon, staring […]
Time For Bed: A Monologue
Time for bed! I said, time for bed! I’m sorry you don’t want to, but it’s time. Please put your shoes and socks where they belong. Both shoes. All the socks. Well, they certainly aren’t mine. Go brush your teeth. Leave your brother alone. Don’t forget toothpaste. Stop touching your brother. Brush your teeth! […]
