Marriage and Family
Don’t Be Stupid
When you’re a parent, the early years with your kids are very controlled. What they eat, wear, believe—everything is pretty much controlled by you. And when they do things you aren’t into, you teach them out of it. Like pooping in their pants. When they’re really little, pooping in the pants is OK but it…
Read MoreWhose Kid???
It’s been a little over a month since the Feb 14, 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Fourteen students and three teachers were killed making it one of the world’s deadliest school shootings. Nikolas Jacob Cruz (19 years old) was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder. I don’t want…
Read MoreCan You JUST….????
The thing about nagging is it’s not by choice. No one wakes up hoping for a hectic morning of things not being where they are supposed to be. No one wants to get into it with their kids (repeatedly) about taking their underwear OUT OF THEIR PANTS before throwing them in the laundry bin. And no…
Read MoreUnfinished Business
I went to a funeral the other day. It wasn’t my first, I have been to many funerals, but it was one of the most memorable. The man that died, he was my friend’s dad. I didn’t really know him because my friend lives out of state and we met as adults, but I “knew him”…
Read MoreDon’t Shoot The Messenger
Several years ago I was asked to tell a staff member at camp that much of the current staff wasn’t super into her because of certain behaviors she was exhibiting. It didn’t go well. She got really defensive and started arguing with me. I didn’t even know what she was arguing about! I was just relaying…
Read MoreDon’t Overthink It
My girls and I are scheduled to speak in a few days at an adoption event in the metro Detroit area. We are very excited to be included, but it occurred to me this morning that I don’t have any idea what we’re going to speak about.
Read MoreChoose Your Own Adventure
Have you ever heard of the Choose Your Own Adventure books? I don’t know if they’re still popular but they were when I was a kid. I liked those books; I thought they were cool. I liked being in charge of the choices that eventually determined my outcome. Plus, it really didn’t matter if I…
Read MoreYou Don’t Have To Have Kids : Part III
Hello! This is Part III of the You Don’t Have To Have Kids series: Click here for Part I . It’s really short. Click here for Part II . It covers the baby/toddler stage. And now we’re at Part III! (This is when the kids are growing even more, getting into and in the elementary school years.)
Read MoreYou Don’t Have To Have Kids : Part II
You need to read Part 1 first. Sorry, but you do. (It’s short) Click on this: You Don’t Have To Have Kids And here’s Part II:
Read MoreYou Don’t Have To Have Kids
Not long after I got married, one of my friends said to me: “You know… you don’t have to have kids. “ She said it in passing, and she said it lovingly, but when we hung up, I felt a little off balance. On one hand, I liked that she was giving me permission not…
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