Published in The Haven·1 day agoMember-onlyCome to the Cold Side, I Have NapkinsAlways. — Did you catch the autumn equinox? Great for you. I didn’t. I was busy catching a cold. It’s been a few years now since, by the time trees start shedding leaves, I begin shedding napkins. The days when I’d dress slutty despite the dropping temperatures and risk catching a cold…Humor4 min read
Published in Heart Affairs·Updated Sep 16Member-onlyCan Children Ruin Marriages?You may not like the answer. — Statistics show marital satisfaction declines twice as fast once couples have children. Does this mean children ruin marriages? Then why do the same statistics show that, despite the decrease in happiness, the divorce rate doesn’t increase but rather declines too? We seem to become less happy in our marriages once…Relationships5 min read
Published in A Parent Is Born·Sep 13Member-onlyWhy Read to Your Child Even When They Can Do It ThemselvesDon’t give up storytime yet. — Do you ever wonder when should you stop reading to your child? You wanted your little one to love books and have read them countless stories from a small age. But now that they can read for themselves, should you step aside? What’s the best age for doing so? And…Parenting5 min read
Sep 10Member-onlyWhat Happens When a Child Meets a Beggar?Something interesting, for sure. — Do you look away when you pass homeless people on the street? Or act busy, pretending in a hurry? Anything to avoid looking them in the eye? Back in the day, I did all that. I couldn’t look at their misery. I felt helpless — for not being able to…Children7 min read
Sep 9Member-onlyTo the Mother Sending Her Child to Preschool for the First TimeDoesn’t it feel all too familiar? — Your child’s first day of preschool is a first for you too. Or is it more like a second? Rewind to a time when you’ve held your child as close to you as possible. They were glued to you. Day and night. You felt their every move, jolt, hiccup. You…Parenting3 min read
Sep 8Member-onlyRead This if Your Little Boy Doesn’t Seem To Listen What You SayIs it really a listening problem? — Parents often complain about their kids not listening to them. When they say it, they mean the kids won’t do what they’re asked to. But what if the kids don’t have a listening problem and rather a hearing problem? Or a different kind of problem altogether? Wouldn’t you want to…Parenting8 min read
Sep 7Member-onlyIf a Child Ingests a Button Battery, This One Thing Might Save Their LifeBest to know it and never have to use it. — “Button batteries are ingested more than 3,500 times per year in the United States.” (Source) Button batteries can kill children. And you have at least one such battery in your home as you’re reading this. …Parenting4 min read
Sep 6Member-onlyWhen You Ask a 4-Year-Old To Watch Your BicycleKids have a different optic. — Grandpa takes Matthew for an evening ride on his bicycle. The first stop is at the pharmacy. How do you make an energy-bursting 4-year-old who just slept 3 hours at noon stand still while you’re staying in line? You give him something to do. Something extremely important. Like keeping an…Parenting2 min read
Sep 5Member-only5 Preschool Drop-Off Mistakes Parents Make. Why & How To Avoid Them.The subtle art of saying goodbye at preschool. — Every morning you go through this horrendous battle just to leave the house. Once you get to preschool, it gets worse. The child clings on to you, begging you not to leave them, with heart-breaking teardrops rolling down their sweet little face. You suck it up (while dying inside) and…Parenting10 min read
Sep 3Member-onlyA Play Pretend Scenario Not Quite As You’d ExpectFresh market or fast food? — Matthew has taken out his toy kitchen on the balcony. Rather than spending time cooking, he’s banging the railing with a broomstick — his definition of inviting customers to buy food. -What are you selling, Matthew? I ask full of hope for an answer involving healthy food. -Fast food, comes…Children2 min read
