Category Archive

dealing with judgement

I'm a tattooed, blue-haired mom dealing with mental health stigma: do I need to tone down my look?

I’m a tattooed, blue-haired mom dealing with mental health stigma: do I need to tone down my look?

I’m a tattooed mom with blue hair who loves her family and teenage kids and live in a home full of love. Recently we’ve been working through challenges relating to mental illness — minor but requiring therapy and medication. I’ve lost some friends over it, people who could overlook the superficial style stuff, until it seemed less superficial.

My wardrobe has toned down a LOT in the six years we’ve lived here — but should I go back to being a brunette who tends to stick with long sleeves in the summer for the sake of my teen daughters?

Childfree gifts to welcome the newly announced into the fold

Gifts to welcome your newly announced childfree friend into the fold

Being childfree (as in, choosing not to have children for any number of reasons) hasn’t been and still isn’t well accepted in a lot of circles, particularly more traditional ones. So the decision to declare yourself childfree to friends and family can be met with a lot of push-back.

If you find yourself in a situation where a friend has told you they have decided to be childfree, perhaps you’d like to give them a token of support, and these childfree gifts are an awesome solution. Whether they’ll be a traveling adventure-seeker, an kick-ass aunt or uncle, a devoted fur parent, or none of the above, there’s a way to say you support them at every turn…

The Lesson of the McNuggets: Embrace being real over being perfect

There never seems to be enough time, money or energy to be the Fantasy Holiday Version of Ourselves. That’s why we should always remember The Lesson of the McNuggets as we go into our New Years celebrations/new year of our lives…

10 gorgeous judgement-busting photos of tattooed parents

Sure, in recent years, tattoos have become more common, but they can still carry a negative connotation.

The people in my “Tattooed Parents in Everyday Society” collection are parents who have been judged by those that do not know them. Many of these parents own small businesses, are tattoo artists themselves, are a part of a military family, and raise amazing kiddos. They just also have this amazing art on their bodies…

“Don’t do that in public!” I’m paranoid about my public Mom persona

But we worry, don’t we, about what people think? Even parents of the easiest children contend with the occasional wicked tantrum, or a disaster of an eating out attempt, or a terrible diaper blow-out in the airport. Here I am, you think. With my pants down and all my dirty laundry hanging out.

I have a chance to travel for 3 weeks — how do I deal with leaving my child?

Here is my problem: my initial reaction hasn’t been “Oh, what if I miss him? What if he gets hurt? Will he forget me? Will he be ok without me?” — it’s been much closer to “HELL YES!! Send me NOW!!” and I feel sickly guilty for wanting this. So my questions are to other parents who have spent extended periods away from their children: How did you feel?

Dealing with another parent shunning your teen

Last summer, my daughter wanted to celebrate her birthday by having her two best friends over for a slumber party. I emailed both moms with an invitation and some possible dates. One of them emailed back that it didn’t matter what the date was, because she didn’t feel comfortable having her daughter in my home. Ever. Following a different drummer is all well and good, until your kid gets shunned for it. Then the panic sets in.

Deciding whether or not to go back to work after my child was born has made me a less judgmental person

In the United States a woman who has a child can take up to 12 (unpaid) weeks off under FMLA. Today is the start of my 13th week. I was supposed to go back to work, but I stayed home. I simply decided it did not make sense for me to return to work.