For a long time, I struggled to give myself permission to fail. I was so worried about the opinions of others and a part of me also was scared to walk against the tide and be considered a “problem”. And if I’m completely honest, conformity is comforting and my oldest children were easily able to achieve and conform to the… Read More
The group of boys walked past the small boy and as one they slowed and their heads swiveled to look more closely. The boy stood still like a statue and held his breath. To move would call attention and so he turned his head and looked down at his feet. And though his eyes did not see their stares, his… Read More
Of course I’m sad you are all going back to school and won’t be at home saying, “I’m bored” 583,901 times before lunch and the house might actually stop looking like an episode of Hoarders and I won’t sound like a song on “repeat”, saying things like – Stop using your squirt gun on your sister, the windows, the… Read More
It’s the 80s and I imagine standing waiting for the bus, clutching a metal lunchbox with matching Thermos filled with red Kool-Aid. We lived down an old dirt road and we rode a bus that would not pass emission standards today. School was simpler back then and so was parenting. As a child I don’t remember the stress of homework or… Read More
They stare, point and whisper behind cupped hands. Two little girls with pigtails and dimples, the absolute picture of innocence, and they are hurting my child. I’m not sure if they think it’s a private moment they are sharing, but truly it’s not. He may not hear what they are saying, but I have learned that whispers can be just… Read More
My mind has a really good way to talk me into anything. Ten years ago it said, “I think we should become foster parents.” And then it rambled on with all the logical and not-so-logical reasons why. So many kids need homes, of course we can set an extra place at the table. For sure we have a little extra… Read More