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Our son Xander is six, and every year, he gets two Christmases. It’s not because his father Dallas and I are overindulgent— although we are overindulgent. Between Xander being a late-in-life child, an only child, and his dad being a completest collector who would be buying all the toys anyway, there’s no way around it. […]
It was the day before Christmas Eve, December 23. I dropped my 18-month-old boy, Aidan, off at his daycare, and drove to the courthouse. I was to appear before the judge to find out if I’d be sentenced to prison—and if so, for how long. Three years prior, before Aidan was born—before I knew that […]
“Michael, how much is 10 plus 12?” my sister-in-law asked my 6-year-old during a recent family reunion. She turned to her 5-year-old and asked the same question, clearly trying to demonstrate that her son was a better mathematician. When she launched this competition, I felt a stab of fear—and confusion. The moment took me back […]
“It’s teaching girls that their bodies are more sexual than boys’ and they don’t deserve respect if their skin is showing. It’s sending a message to boys it’s acceptable to misbehave or disrespect a girl if they can see her skin.”—Irvington K-8 seventh grader: public comment to PPS School Board 5/26/2015 School dress codes are […]
I guess my first clue I would fail at this “crunchy mom” thing was when the midwife asked what I wanted to do with the placenta. I’d just spent 12 hours grunting out a ten-pound baby, prone on a table with my feet in stirrups and a fetal monitor strapped to my midsection—so naturally I […]
Our only child is nine, and has been sneaking into our bed at various times (as early as 10 pm, as late as 5 am) for years. He rarely spends an entire night in his own bed. I love being close to him, but I’m a light sleeper and my partner is a large man […]
1. Take them to the woods. Boys do a lot less damage in the Gorge than in your house, or someone else’s. 2. Consider every surface in the bathroom contaminated with urine. (Or something.) 3. Expect noise. If other parents seem completely horrified at your kids’ loud, raucous, impulsive behavior—they probably have girls. 4. You […]
When I first became a parent, I was struck by how alone I suddenly felt. I needed to make new mom friends, and fast. It was kind of desperate, actually—I found myself stalking new mothers at the park, the grocery store, or even public transportation. While not every parent shares my blind desperation, having the […]
Parents worry so much about what their kids eat, and don’t eat. In most places in the world, kids eat what they are given. Certainly, some are pickier than others, but those of us lucky enough to have choices in what we eat, and how we feed our children, tend to overthink the process. Just […]
My family was legally recognized in Mississippi the day the Mormons came to our door. They were two teens in starched white shirts, with name tags and holy books, wanting to talk about religion. I smiled at the irony (and their perfect timing), and said, “Boys, have you heard the good news?” It reminded me […]
If you’re just joining us here at True Parent… hi! How’s it going? Wait… what’s that? You’re super stressed about this whole “parenting” gig, you never signed on for all the crap you have to put up with, and if you have to pick up one more pair of filthy underpants you’re going to scream? […]
When their son, August, was a baby, Kate Holly and her husband Joel started renting out rooms in their four bedroom house—located in the Lents neighborhood—in order to increase their income and cover childcare costs. “The first time we did it, I was sleeping with one eye open, thinking of all the things that could […]
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