Recommended Reading

I remember the day perfectly. It was a gorgeous, early spring day in Upstate New York.  My then 18-month old son and I were at the playground near our house playing and enjoying the beautiful sunshine. I had brought...

It was a beautiful Friday morning in September. As I strolled up to the park hauling five kids under the age of three, I noticed you. I saw your group sitting at a picnic table close to the park...

I was driving my daughter and her friend home after school and, when talking about weekend plans, I learned that her mom was going out of town for the weekend. When I pulled up to her house, I saw her...

“Just the one.” And there it is… the “look” that always paints a fellow moms face as I respond to her asking how many children I have. An awkward silence trails my response as we try to find a...

Dear Stay-at-Home Mom, Can I be honest? Sometimes, I get jealous of you. Like, when I picture your mornings, minus the chaos of hustling kids out the door to daycare. I picture breakfasts eaten without staring at the clock, maybe a...

I’ll admit it. I used to do it, too. I have clicked “share” on a well-meaning post about how letting your kids play outside will eliminate an unnecessary ADHD diagnosis. I have vigorously nodded my head while reading an...

Dear Single Mama, I’m sorry. I forgot how hard it was. I forgot about the messy house, the messy emotions, and the car that you just might have time to clean sometime in about 6 months. I forgot about the...

A year ago, my son was about to turn 2 and had never said the word “Mama.” Or “Dada.” Or “ball.” Or “up.” Mason was silent and stoic, and we were nervous. Our pediatrician frowned at the communication questionnaires I filled out and recommended speech therapy. I frantically Googled things like “2 year...

Dear Preemie Mom, I’m sorry. I know most people aren’t giving their sympathy when a new baby arrives, but I think you might want to hear it. I wish I could have heard some of these things following the very premature...

On October 25, 1988, President Ronald Reagan declared October Infant and Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month. He said: “When a child loses his parent, they are called an orphan. When a spouse loses her or his partner, they are called a...

To My Darling Child in Your Heartbreak: I see your sadness and the way you question your worth and there are so many things I wish you knew. I know it is hard to hear, but they were not the...

It’s that time of year. The leaves are starting to turn colors and fall off the trees. The air is becoming more crisp. The days are shorter and the sunset is earlier. And in the world of photography, it’s...