parents

The boundless love a parent has for their child is matched only by their capacity to embarrass them.

A Little Fish That Made Big Waves. Top Story - June 2019.
Anyone who gets to know me knows that I LOVE tattoos. My entire body is essentially already mapped out in my mind, as to what I plan on getting next. I've been blessed to meet some great artists throughout my life who continue to grow in talent and character. Outside of being home with my wife and children, getting to hang out in a tattoo shop is my second place of zen. The sounds, scents, and conversations within just make me feel at peace. Some of my ink is for fun while other pieces have certain meanings that connect me to some rather important moments in my life. This is the tale of one of my more meaningful tattoos.
By Nathan Hutton7 years ago in Families
Raising a Son
Before I begin writing this—I want to say that these are only my personal views on today's world. These are my opinions and just that, but a huge part of me feels this needs to be heard. I am a first time Mom, and a young one at that, whether this changes how you view this piece... I'll let you decide.
By Toni alanis7 years ago in Families
Top 5 Games That Bring Families Together
When it comes to spending time as a family, game night is always a good idea. From burping to bottles and every sleepless night in between, you don't have much of an opportunity to think about spending quality family time together when your children are infants. But as a mother of three growing children, the thoughts of having a standard family night has been weighing on my mind.
By Sylvia Smith7 years ago in Families
Tired Dad of Five
Hello, I’m a tired dad of five. Let it be known, as I write this story, I have one of my 12-week-old twins sleeping on my chest. Which at this point in my life, seems like icing on the cake.
By Josiah Diener7 years ago in Families
Loving the Humans Who Created You
My mother and sister on my sister's wedding day The relationship between my mother and I has evolved and blossomed and it was not always easy to get to where we are today. It took me more than half of my life to realize that my mother really did everything that she could to the best of her abilities. She worked hard, she protected me, and she made me the woman I am in this moment. I had to break down the walls of my ego, judgement, and blaming tendencies for taking all that I received from her during my childhood and perpetuate it into the world around me.
By Blair Welcome7 years ago in Families
Maybe
In my early years, my journal and I had a very special, very sacred bond. We went to school together, we laughed together, we cried together, and sometimes we just stared at each other blankly, waiting for the other to speak.
By Kai Grace7 years ago in Families
One Parent
Life is fine, I tell this myself. I tell this to myself so often I nearly convince myself it is true. The memories of him are vague and not full of love, nothing terrible. He never hurt me, at least not physically. No. He just wasn't always present. It didn't work out. He was an asshole. People don't like that. People say "family is everything." Family IS everything, if the family isn't toxic. But this isn't about that. I leave behind a country full of friends, and a mom-like figure, and my biological father, distant painful memories I've all but blocked out.
By Aurelie M Jones7 years ago in Families
You're Not Here Anymore and That’s Okay
The day you got sick was the day that everything in my past came back to my head in my thoughts. When we were younger we had it very hard, you were a strict old school Mexican dad. Your beliefs were the way you were raised as a young boy. So we had it very hard, we weren’t aloud to do a lot of things that other family members and friends that I knew could do, it was what you said and that’s it. We had it rough growing up, you and my mom always fighting. Physical and mental abuse was in the picture for a very long time, and me and my siblings grew up thinking it was normal and okay. Now it came to that day the day my mom would leave you this last time and never go back with you after 15 years of this hell back and fourth, she finally had the courage to say enough is enough. You both separated and found other lovers, the guy that she is with is a low life. Now I’m wishing you both were together because it’s starting to suck and I hate this guy.
By Val Padi7 years ago in Families
Fathers
Fathers always leave their mark on their children. A father may easily underestimate their importance in the lives of their children, especially during the first few years of their lives, when the child is naturally more drawn to the mother for food and comfort.
By Sonica M7 years ago in Families
Father Daughter
Happy Father’s Day to the man who created me. The man half responsible for my existence. Even though you weren’t there during my upbringing, you shaped my life in many ways.
By Tristan Langford7 years ago in Families
Moded AF
Being an 80s baby always made me feel special, it was just a good time to be born. June of 1985 to be specific. In my younger years, I remember being a happy kid. One of my favorite things, 'til this day is singing. One of my earliest memories had to be when I was five years old. My mother (Doris), would connect the microphone to the radio and she would record us singing on a cassette tape. We would sing songs from the O'Jays, Debra & Ronnie Laws, and other artists. As I got older, I would go on to sing in the choir at the church I grew up in, New Hope Baptist. It's a popular church if you grew up on the east side of Long Beach. That's where I met a few of my childhood friends... that grew to be family, sort of. I would sing as if there was nothing holding me back. As a child you don't know the social constraints, like the wrong or right way to sing. You just did it cause you were told to do so. I liked the attention, early on. I didn't know it then but singing and music would grow to be my outlet and one of the only things that would keep me sane.
By Dee Good7 years ago in Families
You're Allowed to Be "Selfish"
You would do anything for your child. I see you, mamma. I see you give up precious moments of sleep and alone time to calm your crying baby. You see your child as the most prized possession, and how lucky that child is to have you cheering them on. I know you would give every ounce of your physical, mental, and emotional strength for the little people who calls you mommy. The thing is, you don’t have to. Honestly, it’s probably best if you didn’t. They need you to have all your strength. They need you to take care of you so that you can take care of them. Here are some ways you could be better at caring for your own needs.
By Rebecca Hale7 years ago in Families