Category Archive

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The Good Mother Myth: redefining motherhood to fit reality

Her kids have always slept through the night, and even if they don’t, she still manages to look like she has had eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. There is always a well-balanced, home-cooked meal on her dinner table. She either happily stays at home or holds down a fulfilling job while still finding time to join the PTA, run the school’s book sale, and makes it to every single soccer game. She is usually white, middle to upper class, heterosexual, and neither too young nor too old. But above all… she’s a myth. And it’s this myth that divides women and pits mothers against each other while fueling the flames of the manufactured “mommy wars.”

We’re adopting a teenager: help?

I have loved how Offbeat Families has covered and supported all kinds of families. My husband and I recently and totally unexpectedly became parents to a 17-year-old boy. I have been blown away by the depth of emotions I have felt after only knowing him for a short time.

My partner just found out he’s infertile. How do we begin to cope?

Now that we know my partner is infertile, for the first time I realize that there’s a good chance that I’ll never get pregnant, that we’ll never make a child together. When we thought the problem was me he would always know the right thing to say or do to make me feel better, but now that the situation is reversed I don’t know what to say to him, “I love you” doesn’t really seem like enough.

What non-candy Halloween stuff would you want your kids to get?

Halloween is less than two months away, so it’s time to start stocking up on Halloween candy! (At least in my head, it is.) I’ve bought a few bags of mini candies already, and those will satisfy the vast majority of the kids who come by my house. But can I get anything for the rest of them — what do kids who don’t like (or can’t eat) candy want to find in a Halloween candy bowl?

How do you cope when your family thinks you’re not ready to have a kid?

My partner and I have been together six years, and married for two. We are finally both in steady full time (dream) jobs. We have been desperate to start a family for years. We feel that we have the stability, as well as emotional and financial resilience to do so. We are lucky enough to […]

What’s the best way to announce a new pregnancy after a miscarriage?

I recently found out that I am pregnant. I had a very successful first pregnancy which resulted in a gorgeous daughter, and a second pregnancy, which I found out was not viable at six weeks. I am dying to tell everyone about this third pregnancy, but I also don’t want to be embarrassed if it turns out to be another chemical pregnancy, and have to explain myself… again.

My best friend and her two-year-old are homeless: how can I help her find resources?

My best friend “Maria” and her adorable two-year old lived with Maria’s mom. Said Mom has basically made the situation unlivable and they need to get out of there immediately. Now, she’s going to be staying with me for a few days, but we are trying to find a more long-term solution.

How can I deal with my partner’s baby-unfriendly quirk?

My husband hates lotion. He thinks it’s completely disgusting. I can’t even get him to wear sunscreen, despite his history of precancerous moles. Although this is worrisome to me, I’ve always chosen to avoid this battle. Which was fine until we had our baby four months ago.