How do you prepare your kids to stand up for themselves — and for other kids?
If my kid ever witnesses another child being bullied (or is the child being bullied), my hope is that she will stand up for the child and for herself. How are you talking to your kids about defending others?
Creative ways to prevent post-Halloween over-indulgence
What can you do to limit the amount of candy you and your child consume following Halloween? Here are some solutions I found/worked out which will lead to a healthier November for kids and parents.
Halloween costumes for kids who use wheelchairs
Carter has Spina bifida, so his dad built him this outfit so he could roll around on Halloween with the rest of the kids.
I just don’t want to be pregnant: why I chose adoption over pregnancy
I was incredibly uncomfortable with the idea of getting pregnant. The idea of my body trying to sustain another life seemed impossible — I even went to hypnotherapy to try to help me “get over” it.That is when I realized that if I needed to be hypnotized in order to want to get pregnant, pregnancy might not be for me.
Crossing bridges when I get there: my life as a legally-blind single mom
Living differently than the norm with a disability was riddled with obstacles even before I became responsible for a wee human being. Back then I’d often make personal sacrifices to accomplish goals I wouldn’t expect of a child. These days it’s a balancing act of happening upon alternative opportunities that are within my abilities, don’t require a car to get there, and because I don’t have childcare, toddler welcoming.
When your 7-year-old announces, ‘I’m gay’
I was on the phone with a relative who had just discovered that I was blogging on The Huffington Post and openly discussing my son’s crush on Blaine. I was in another room alone (I thought), explaining, “We’re not saying he’s straight, and we’re not saying he’s gay. We’re saying we love who he is,” when my son’s voice piped up behind me. “Yes, I am.”
An intimate representation of a celebration of life: my husband took my maternity photos and I love them
Ever since I was a teenager I always wanted to get professional shots when I was heavily pregnant, because I’ve always found the pregnant form to be absolutely exquisite. However, I was swamped under work for the last several weeks of my pregnancy which meant that I ran out of time and was unable to get a professional shoot. Being the determined (stubborn) person that I am, I still really wanted to get some photos, because I didn’t think I’d ever feel so confident in myself again.
How do you avoid passing down your own phobias to your kids?
I’ve also spent almost my entire life terrified — and I mean TERRIFIED — of bugs. I’m planning to become a mom in the next couple of years, and now I’m worried that this fear will make it hard to be a good mom. How do offbeat mamas balance their paralyzing fear of things with the need to take care of their little ones?