Perspectives in Parenting

Over the last couple of weeks, we have traded in our girl’s nights of wine, venting about our husbands, and trashy television shows for social distancing, homeschooling, family bike rides, and the occasional Zoom call. Even though we haven’t been able to see each other lately, I have a few things I want you to know. I Will Always Be Just a Phone Call Away It doesn’t matter if the news is bad or if it is something to celebrate. I hope you know I’ll be on the other end to listen. When words fail me, I hope that my company on the other end of the line can comfort you. I hope you know that you can always vent to...

In our house, we love music. Now, I'm not necessarily musically inclined, but my husband enjoys playing guitar and we've always shared music with each other. We have the same taste, and it's always something we've bonded over. We even grew up listening to some of the same music, despite having grown up speaking different languages and living on different continents. My husband learned his love of music from his father, which is a bond he's had his entire life. Now that my husband lives far away from his family, it's a gentle way to recall so many memories he has built throughout the years with his family. We can listen to songs that take us back to our individual...

It’s Mother’s Day, and I’m lying in bed. My husband told me to go rest while the girls were napping, so I figured I might as well allow myself some time alone. I am always tired, after all. I’m lying there with one eye open and one lamp still on because I can relax, but not completely. I’m a mom, after all. Every few minutes, I’m convinced I hear one of the girls waking early from her nap. I wonder if my husband knows the baby needs to nap or stay in her crib a solid 1.5 hours before we get her. I think about the dirty dishes and the laundry.  I look at my phone and scroll through Instagram, slightly...

Why is it I cringe when I have a video meeting and knowing I won't have the help to watch my daughter? Like many other moms, we have found ourselves working from home with babies, toddlers and teenagers at home as well. I am very grateful and blessed to have the opportunity to keep working but I was very stressed on March 13th when the governor announced that schools were closing. Even though my daughter is in daycare, and daycares were still open, I knew eventually they would close. I remember sitting at my desk in my cubical at work, crying big crocodile tears. I didn't know what was next. Being a control freak by nature, I could not control...

Dear Miss Wanda, I didn’t know about you in February and I didn’t know about Ahmaud or how he left to go for a jog and unjustifiably lost his life. I’ve only known who you are for two weeks. We live in separate states and I realize that, but I wonder if I would have known you or Ahmaud if you lived on my street. Yesterday, I shared his post about his hashtag #irunwithahmaud on my social media. Whenever I saw that it was going viral, I immediately felt called to put on my shoes and think of him the entire way. I thought about taking out my baby boy’s stroller and heading out with all three of my sons today...