When I was thirteen, I saw the made for TV movie The Day After. My parents clearly had no idea that the anxiety caused by this movie would stick with me FOR DECADES!!! The film was "provocative, apocalyptic, and gut-wrenching."
Our daughter has developmental delays, Epilepsy and other medical issues, so the thought of flying her to a tropical island rife with germs, and food borne illnesses freaks me out. But worrying about what “could” happen is no longer an option because life is happening right now. Worry has been given its walking papers, and in its place are plane tickets!
I’ve come to believe that it IS possible to have a safe and relaxing family holiday if we do the research and prepare properly.
Over the past few years, I lost my mojo and gained 20 pounds in its place. With a family reunion coming up this spring, I want to get back in shape, feel energized, and get my mojo back. I’m still in shape. Well, “a” shape, anyway. Think ‘soft pear.’ My clothes don’t fit and I’m tired all the time. I’m frustrated with myself for letting it get to this point.
As temperatures begin to drop and #leafyboots becomes a trending hashtag, our thoughts turn to cozy nights in with friends and family. Fall is the perfect time to host a dinner party. It's the culinary sweet spot nestled quietly between busy summer days and the falalala-frenzy of the holiday season.
Despite the doctors who told us there was nothing wrong, we knew. Parents always know. We feel it in our gut. Mother’s instinct—it’s real and it’s powerful.
Though her birth was remarkably unremarkable, when she was a few months old, we started having concerns. Our already tiny baby girl was losing weight and the milestones that mark healthy development were never achieved.
This is a personal story about the luck of the draw. Or the shitty dumb-luck of the draw if you happen to pull the cancer straw.
Obviously some cancers are worse than others, but there’s no such thing as a silly, light-hearted, "cute" cancer. If you pull the straw that results in the words, “Your biopsy came back positive,” you and the people who love you are in for shit show.
If the idea of pulling together a creative costume makes your skin crawl, have no fear. Creating a unique costume is like a dance and I'll show you the steps. Your hilarious Monster Mash-Up costume will be the talk of the town!
You gotta have friends. It’s the way we humans roll. Kids, especially, need somebody to talk to, a friend to snuggle up with when they're not feeling well, a friend to whisper secrets to in the dark...someone to just be there. Having a friend and confidante, whether it’s the family pet or a favourite doll, can help boost a child’s confidence when they need it most.
As a social media manager and writer with many years of online experience — dog years, of course, because everyone knows one internet year equals seven in real life — I’m well equipped to ensure that my son begins creating his digital footprint safely. At thirteen, he’s already legit next level obvi (teen speak) tech-savvy, so it's only a matter of time before he's showing me what to do. But for now, I’m teaching him to surf safely like it’s my job. Because it is.
My daughter was born with special needs that make her uniquely unique. She has more self-confidence in her little finger than most of us have from head to toe. She isn’t afraid to be herself. Partly because of her chromosome deletion disorder, and partly because she has the heart of a lion. My daughter doesn't worry or judge or hate. She only loves—herself and the people in her life. How wonderful to live like that.
