When should we tell our sensitive toddler that we’re having another baby?
After peeing on a stick, we conceded that we now have a theoretical baby incubating currently in my midsection. We’ve been trying for a few months, so for a nice change, it’s expected. My husband and I already have a wonderful, rambunctious, handful of a three-and-a-half-year-old son, who in the last year has expressed an extreme desire for a sibling. I have never seen a kid love babies so much. All kids, any age, he adores them all, so since I never wanted to raise an only child, it was easy to start trying for spawn number two.
Dealing with the sting of a toddler’s mean-spirited words
It was a new thing for Tom to be deliberately mean, so it hurt. But I also recognised myself in him. My parents separated when I was eight and, although I would never have seen it in myself at the time, I can admit now that I used to be completely horrible to both of them at changeover times, when I was switching from one house to the other. It was as thought I thought I would miss them less and find it easier to go if I fell out with them first.
How do I sneak healthier food into my family’s diet?
Confession: I have totally been known to sneak veggies into our son’s food — he’s two-and-a-half and generally a good eater, but some days are easier than others. Sometimes, on the not so easy days, he’ll find grated carrots and broccoli on top of his cheese pizza because that’s how we roll.
It took me twelve years to recognize my step-father as my Dad — and I wish it had happened a lot sooner
Since I’ve spent just under half of my life as a child of a single parent, I never thought I’d be able to pinpoint the exact day I finally got a Dad of my own. I grew up with my Mom, two brothers, and my (maternal) Grandma. I had a few male role models throughout my childhood — mostly family members like my Uncle, Grandpa, and my younger brother’s dad — but they came and went without trouble and I wasn’t too concerned with why they didn’t stick around. After all, they weren’t my father — they had their own lives and their own things to do… which didn’t include raising me.
Covert cooking: how do I sneak healthy food into my family’s diet?
How can I stealthily convert my husband’s diet and my teenaged picky sister’s diet to get them to eat healthy without knowing. You know… baby steps. AND! what are some good whole food protein substitutes aside from tofu?
A water birthing story told in photos
It’s totally a cliche, but there’s something about birth photography that makes me quiet. Every time I see photos from a birth — whether it’s an unmedicated home birth or a hospital birth or something in between — I just feel like… I have to respect the awesomeness that is childbirth. It’s a pretty cool thing to do, but not totally unique: everyone who has experienced it shares with millions of people around the world. So in that light, it’s pretty awesome to me that people choose to have their birthing experiences documented: it’s like your way of giving one big tip of your hat to everyone else. Nice.
I’m a happy teen mom. I know, right?!?
I do believe some of my struggles directly deal with my age. I was a first-time mom at 17 and am on my way to having a second before I turn 20. Shit is sure to follow. I occasionally get eyeballed during toddler playgroups and sometimes blatantly questioned about my age by curious mothers. It really isn’t that big of a deal, though. The only time that ever bothers me is if it’s followed by sympathy or straight-up negativity — it just seems silly to me. Could you imagine asking a mother her age and then apologizing for it?
How can I balance being a parent and being an artist?
It’s very difficult to be faced with two options: be artistic on cue, or stop in the middle of my inspiration to fix dinner, help with homework, or do a bedtime routine. The end result of all this internal conflict is complete and utter failure at both my art and raising my children in a healthy clean environment. I am curious: has anyone else out there dealt with this conflict? Have you found a solution that’s healthy for everyone?