“The daydreams of twenty-something freedom felt gone. We were just another measured ‘teen mother’ statistic that pigeonholed our future. I was scared and unsure, but my husband never doubted. We didn’t just decide to rock the boat. We decided to sell the ‘boat’ and trade it for a set of wings, a huge dose of optimism, and faith in the unknown future.”
‘Our baby arrived before the ink dried on my high school diploma. I crumbled like a piece of paper with the news. We had so much on the line.’: Teen parents pursue career dreams, travel full-time
‘She may never pen a love letter. She may never gush in appreciation for her momma. But when I cry, she cries.’: Mom to daughter with autism says ‘the ability to recognize love without words is a gift’
“I’m not talking about romantic love. I’m not talking about the boo hoo’s of a bad break-up. I’m talking the pain of staring into the blank eyes of your child who you would die for, literally die, and never knowing if or what they feel in return.”
‘His face lit up. ‘There’s my friend, Max!’ You didn’t hear your son say that. But I did. I looked at my son. He was still crying.’: Mom to special needs son thanks woman in parking lot ‘for answering my prayers’
“As you both passed the side of my car, your son, still trying to catch up with your pace, made contact with mine. My son threw his cup and flung his head back in frustration. He couldn’t tell me what he needed; he is non-verbal. He didn’t know someone had noticed him, someone called him his friend.”
‘When you fire up a lighter and don’t think twice about it, I’m asking you to remember this face.’: Mom to son with severe asthma urges ‘check who’s around before lighting up’
“My 6-year-old’s pediatrician stared him straight in the eyes and ordered, ‘You stay away from cigarettes. Your lungs can’t handle it.’ There are some struggling who didn’t choose this fight. Let’s not forget them. The air you exhale is the same air we breathe.”
‘I remember telling my therapist trips with my husband felt a little lack luster. We went to a private bungalow over the Rivera and he dozed off.’: Woman says there is no rule book for relationships
“I told her it would have been more fun with a friend in tow. I thought she’d tell me to stop outsourcing my needs to other people and start spending more time with the man I married.”
‘All I could think was, ‘How can you miss a baby?’ Twins quickly turned to 3, then 4. I could not believe my eyes.’: Mom births miracle quadruplets after battling infertility, cancer
“My infertility journey began at 11. I’d just started my period and there I was, having life-saving surgery, my ovaries twisting in pain. ‘The growth on your bladder is cancerous and ready to spread.’ After years with my husband, it was time to call the IVF clinic. I did the usual bloodwork, only to be called soon after. ‘Can you come back in? It seems you’re already pregnant…’ Tears fell down my face. I could not believe my eyes.”
‘All I could muster at the party was, ‘Are you serious?’ over and over, as if my husband would use such heavy words to joke. ‘Yes, they found him in his room.’: Woman recalls complicated relationship with incarcerated father
“‘I have to get naked and bend over. They want to make sure I’m not sneaking anything in my butt cheeks.’ After a revolving door of drugs and women, and a lifetime of waiting for you to change, I gave up. It felt like a knife on your exposed flesh. I could see it in your eyes but that wasn’t enough to make me say ‘Dad.’ I’d be damned before I let you in again.”
‘The woman’s eyes instantly widened with amazement. ‘Your house must be chaotic, all those children!’ I’m a hot mess mom and I know it.’: Woman says she loves the ‘glorious chaos’ of mom life
“I didn’t contradict her. Some days, I really miss having a quiet meal with easily flowing adult conversation. Some nights, I fantasize about sleeping without interruption or a foot in my face. But this chaos that is my life brings me joy.”
‘2-year-olds aren’t terrible—they’re just learning how to be human.’: Child psychologist shares tips to manage toddlers’ complicated feelings
“We see kids this age as misbehaving, rude, or not listening. We see them losing it or throwing temper tantrums over nothing. But when looked at with fresh eyes, these misbehaviors can make sense, even to us.”
‘I’m a single dad. It’s so hard.’ He whispers, ‘I don’t know how to thank you.’ When I got to my car, the tears came flooding.’: Woman shares act of kindness for struggling single dad
“I watched as the man in front of me asked the cashier to put things to the side. Over and over again. He kept swiping his card. Declined. He was just buying the bare minimum. There was a girl and boy with him. I could see the embarrassment written all over their faces. Then suddenly, I started to open my mouth.”