How an Offbeat Bride realized “the picture perfect relationship” is a lie
Rocky relationships, fights, talks about breaking up… sometimes relationships aren’t all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes they’re not the perfect instagram photo of the two super-smile-y fuckers that you wish you could be. Guess what: Those super-smile-y fuckers aren’t perfect either.
Why I send my kid outside to a kindergarten in the forest
It’s winter in Georgia. The children waddle into the woods in layers of warm and waterproof clothes, awkward and round. The teachers’ hats are pulled down over their ears and when they stomp their feet and clap their hands along with the songs and poems at morning circle time, they do so with extra motivation.
This is the hardest time of year to send our children outside to kindergarten for the day, and the most important…
How can you best relate to friends with imprisoned loved ones?
When I found out what had happened I knew my friend would be devastated. Her partner will be in jail for years, not weeks. I have messaged her a few times indicating I would love to see her, and we are planning a catch up in the next few weeks. My conundrum is this: Do we talk about her partner? Do I pass on my best wishes? Do I just ask if she is okay? What is the best way to show my support to her, and by proxy, her imprisoned partner.
Bonding by venting: Because tearing things down together is a shared activity
People bond by venting. And while negativity is a great social tool — tearing things down together is a shared activity! — it’s just also very, very damaging…
How can I have a great big long-distance holiday?
We’re a young military family that anticipates a move soon, so we won’t be going home to visit family this Christmas. This isn’t the first time (nor will it be the last), but this year is different… It’s going to be our daughter’s first Christmas, and we very much want to include our parents. I need some advice about how to have a great big long-distance holiday! Any suggestions would be much appreciated, especially from anyone who’s done this before.
Are poly and sex-positive people really “obsessed with sex”?
Many (if not most of us) who are polyamorous, swinger, or in any kind of open relationships, have been told we are “obsessed with sex.” But are we really? Okay, sure… there are absolutely people out there who would be obsessed with sex. They even have therapy sessions, which for anyone truly obsessed with sex — that is a wonderful thing. But many of us are not dictionary-definition obsessed with sexual pleasures. We’re simply open — open-minded, open sexually, and sexually positive. Is that really a bad thing? Apparently to some people, yes, yes it is.
Reflecting on becoming a mother when you’ve lost your own
While my husband and I discuss having a kid, I’ve heavily reflected on how my mother’s life and death will translate into my own experience as a parent, and my relationship with my child. I’ve questioned how I can give my child what my mom gave me as hers. I’ve even feared the potential reality of me having the same fate as her at her age. But with this, I’ve realized two very important things within my concerns…
Dear well-meaning people who see my ring and ask “when are you going to have kids?”
I understand that our society has instilled in you that when a couple gets married the next step in their life together is to try to procreate. I understand that my fiancé and I are in the minority when we declare, completely honestly and without any trace of shame, that we do not want children. But you need to understand that “first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage” is not a universal statement.