How to start a book club… for babies
Once a month, a handful of my friends meet up at our friend’s house for our babies book club. We still refer to it as “baby book club” even though there’s no denying that our children aren’t babies anymore. They’re energetic, willful, spirited two-year-olds who run, laugh, fight over toys, and keep us constantly on our toes. They’re also two-year-olds who love to be read to. Like most toddlers their age, they love to be held on our laps while listening to stories and looking at colorful and beautiful picture books.
My best friend and her kids might come live with us — any advice on creating a non-biological family?
My best friend is a single mom with two kiddos who are my godchildren/niece and nephew. Since her divorce, she’s been living with her parents in a pretty cramped living situation in our hometown. She left college when she got married, and even living with parents, childcare costs have prevented her from going back to school for more than a class at a time and sometimes not at all. She’s been struggling even more financially recently, and my husband and I have been talking more and more about offering that she come and live with us for a bit to focus on school.
5 tips for dealing with feeling guilty after moving your kid far away from family and friends
We just packed up our entire life and moved 2000 miles away from any family and friends our family has ever known. There’s no better way to describe doing something like this than to use the word “bittersweeet” — we know we’re in the right place for our family, but we’re seriously struggling with feeling guilty for taking our kids away from their grandparents, cousins, aunts, and friends.
How can I help my friend who’s been diagnosed with cancer?
Can we have a conversation about how to practically help a friend with a diagnosis of cancer (or other serious disease)? Just this week a very close old friend of mine (with 2 little kids) found out she has ovarian cancer, and it is spreading already. This is scary, scary stuff. Not much else is known right now. But I can’t be the only person with a friend facing this.
Creating community by using donated breast milk
I feed my daughter a mix of my breast milk, formula and donated breast milk from five different women. Not only has donated breast milk benefited my daughter’s digestion and overall health, it has introduced me to other moms that I’m now proud to consider part of my community.
How can I ask non-intrusive family planning questions?
Before, I didn’t get it. I didn’t think it was a big deal to ask if or when a couple was having kids. I didn’t realize the impact that merely being asked questions along these lines can have on someone dealing with personal decisions. I’ve actually apologized to a couple people for my past ignorance. But now I have a new problem: since these questions are off limits, I have no idea what to say!
Should you talk about money with people who have different financial priorities?
I have a friend who often makes remarks about having no money. “We can’t afford to buy fruits and vegetables.” “I hope you’re not getting sick, because we can’t afford a visit to the doctor.” “We can’t make it to your place for game night because we can’t afford the gas.” It’s true that they don’t have much, raising a family of three on just a teacher’s salary. But it seems (to me) like the money they do have is spent frivolously or unnecessarily. I don’t have a problem with people indulging when they have the disposable income. But I’m getting more and more uncomfortable. Commenting about being poor followed by showing a link to a costume jacket that he hopes to purchase frustrates me. Should I speak up and say something, or just chalk it up to different priorities?
Exploring the very painful world of friendship breakups
Whether because of a fight, distance, or natural causes, friendship death can be especially painful. Unlike romantic relationships, we don’t expect friendships to have expiration dates. There are no “where are we going?” conversations, no breakup war stories, no vows or pronouncements in front of friends and family. Friendships are what you turn to when you end a romantic relationship; they’re there when you begin a new one. Friendships, it’s understood, are forever. Why wouldn’t they be? But the most painful breakup I’ve ever had wasn’t with a romantic partner.