What Makes the Tween Years Fantastic
Did you know the word tweenager is a smash up of the words between and teenager? These kids of ours are stuck somewhere between teenagers and little kidhood. (If they can invent words, then who's t…
Four Ways We can Talk to our Kids about Racism
The issue that is currently heavy in our nation is weighty inside my house as well. Shades of color sit around my living room and traipse down the grocery aisles with me. As a mom of white kids and k…
In Over Your Head? A Literal Story
Have you ever been in over your head? Or thought you were? Because I am going to show you how those are two different things. I've got a lot of kids and they all still live at my house. Therefore…
Why Moms Should Disappear for the Weekend
I sat in my jungle and methodically pulled out the tall weeds harassing my peppers and squash. It was cheap therapy and it allowed me to keep an eyeball on my five littles prancing around the yard.…
A Lost Art and What Our Families can Do about It
When you are invited to a friends' house in China, you will be well taken care of. When you say your good-byes and head home, be prepared for your host to walk you to your bike or your bus stop. So…
Why We Adopt
Photo by Impressions Photography My kitchen was extra full and messy for the best of reasons: friends were having dinner with us. There is nothing like an honest friend and this one looked at me a…
A Day in the Life of a Six-Year-Old Living with HIV
Little E sings and whistles. She loses teeth and gets whiney when she's tired. She is sweet and spicy rolled into one. She knows HIV has been in her blood since her days of living in Uganda, Africa…
Three Strategies for Fighting Siblings
SUMMER! So many feelings right there. Many good feelings; many deep sighs from this mom. If your kids are anything like mine, the endless summer hours mean extra nit-picking and arguing. If you…
What My Dough Belly Tells My Girls
My daughter couldn't have been more than eight the first time she came to me sobbing about being fat. Fat? You're a kid. You hardly know your addition facts. I was shocked at the language coming fr…
Things I Stink At and Why You Might Care
I have disappointed myself with my mothering too many times to count. I stink at a lot of things, these being the first on my mind: 1. I have a hard time finishing. I will organize my kids cloth…