Big Kids, Big Worries? Lately I'm Feeling Big Joys
A guest kid showed me how much I'd forgotten about driving everyone everywhere. Yes, big kids bring bigger worries, but the joys are bigger too.
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The Grandparents I Can Still See When I Close My Eyes
One line in a movie hit me hard: close your eyes and they're back. For me, she's at the stove in her striped housedress, frying schnitzel.
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In Defense of Labels: Making Sense of Your Teen (and Yourself)
We'd rather have a label than live with the static. Here's why sorting your kid (and yourself) into drawers can take real pressure off.
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My Youngest Is 3 Today, So I Reread His Birth Report
Three years ago, a pager message at 3:20 a.m. started it all. Today my baby turns 3, and I'm rereading every minute of that night.
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At the End of Your Patience, There's Still So Much Puberty Left
His son is having a rendezvous with himself, so Matthias Jung hands him the trash bag on the way out the door. Here's how he keeps laughing.
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Three Questions That Keep Me From Losing It at Bedtime
I screamed into a towel, drank a glass of water, and went back to a kid who still wasn't asleep. Here's what finally helped me stay calm.
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"Mom, They Trashed Our Car": A Late-Night Call From Our Teens
The phone buzzed in the dark with our son's name on the screen. Before he said a word, my heart was somewhere around my pajama pants.
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Imposter Syndrome Is My Middle Name
I called friends to do it with me, hoping for backup. Pia's answer stung, and it was exactly what I needed to hear.
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Goodbye, Great-Grandma: How Our Teens Faced Their First Loss
'But how are YOU doing?' my teen asked while I was busy just functioning. Then came the goodbye none of us were ready for.
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In Defense of Boys: Why I Love Being a Boy Mom
My son turns 12 tomorrow, and a loud pack of boys is headed to our house. Here's why I wouldn't trade this chaos for anything.
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Why We Don't Have a Game Console at Our House
Every wish list had a PlayStation or Switch on it. We said no early, and the reasons have less to do with games than with the daily fight.
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No Power, No Heat, No Internet: Inside the Berlin Blackout
Our house had heat while the block behind us sat in the dark. Then neighbors started opening their doors, and a strange weekend turned into something else.
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