Transgender people often know by kindergarten that their bodies and gender identities do not line up, a health care expert said during a virtual panel discussion about trans health and emotional development. And contrary to the claims of conservative politicians…
School shootings: How can we respond to children, parents, teachers and others affected?
With the recent incidents of school shootings around the country, we may be asking how we can respond. These breaks in our sense of security bring up many feelings, questions and worries. They can make us feel sick as we think…
‘Grandmas make the best banana bread’
With the morning sun wrapping rays around the two windows in the bedroom, causing a pale light to creep steadily in from their edges, my oldest child rustles the bedsheets. It’s like she can feel the idea of warmth, the…
Three years ago today, our world changed
Three years ago today, when the pandemic hit, I was barely shy of nine months pregnant. We knew our daughter, George, would be born with Turner Syndrome. She faced open heart surgery at a day old in April 2020, a…
On the baptism of our firstborn
“This is our boy!” I wept as he arrived, marveling at the good long-awaited gift now tucked into my arms. Josh and I had forgone the clumsy practice of the gender-reveal, opting instead for mystery and patience and curiosity that…
Blessed are the mess makers
I am amazed at how the tiniest habits have followed me throughout my life. A cluster of repetitive acts stacked upon one another like gathering cornerstones. Building my character while leaving me to discover who I am and who I’m…
Counting your blessings instead of sheep
“Have you not heard anything I’ve said in the last four weeks!? Just what do I have to be grateful about?” The elderly widower in my grief group was incensed that the fourth session was focused on gratitude. The topic…
When the system is based on comparison, won’t someone always be ‘more blessed’ and ‘less blessed’ than another?
Walking into the room, I saw a 3-year-old with a cast on his leg sitting in his hospital bed surrounded by plush Hulk, Captain America and Spider-Man toys. Sitting next to the bed was a weary-looking mom, who welcomed me…
Children who tell blunt truth, as opposed to lying, are judged harsher by adults
American children are socialized to be rewarded for telling subtle lies and punished for telling blunt truth, new research from Texas State University finds. While most parents want to teach their children to tell the truth, they are inconsistent with…