Contributor Confessions

“No Mama, that’s a boy toy! I want the Elsa microphone!” In general, I don’t have many flashes of brilliance as a parent, but one of mine is that I have NEVER bought my kid a toy when she is...

“Go on, choose a line and get in place,” I said, giving his hibiscus-clad bottom a gentle pat. His little feet ambled over to where the lines of children stood by the pool, waiting their turn to dive in...

Nine years old...what an age! They are still children, but their curiosity and ability to process real information is growing. Between the ages of 8 and 9, Penelope learned the tooth fairy was not real, Santa was not real, and...

By the time my son started his senior year of high school, he was "that" guy. Alex wasn't just regular popular, he lived at the pinnacle of popular. I watched him bloom from the quiet kid we used to...

Look at that fresh faced new mom over there. She looks totally "normal", totally "happy" and not the least bit like she is laying awake at night terrified her baby is dead in his bed. What, too much? Well,...

My Story Everyone experiences stress and anxiety. You can try to prevent it by avoiding triggers, lessen the effects by adopting a positive attitude, or find an outlet for it when it threatens to derail you. The worst thing you...

Depression is a very near and dear subject to my heart. I’ve watched various loved ones struggle day in and day out with deep despair. For some, it means that they’ve taken their lives. Others have attempted, and yet,...

My teenage son started therapy several months ago and it has been really great for him. Initially, it didn't feel so great, though. It felt scary, foreign, and a little bit like failure. As parents, we want to be...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqKtKQYtqVE&feature=youtu.be It’s almost midnight and I can’t sleep.  Which is odd, because my pillow is lumpy in the right places, my sheets are off-brand silky, and my down comforter is somewhat clean {kids, eh?}. The only sound disturbing the night is...

After having three children and reaching the age of 46, I was pretty certain that my parenting days were numbered and that there would be no new additions to our home. But I was wrong. It wasn't planned; it...