essays

Wear the bathing suit and let your kids see you happy and confident in it

Our bodies are beautiful and swimsuit-ready just as they are.

To the introvert mom who’s overwhelmed and tapped out

If you’re an introvert mom who feels maxed out, who feels out of place and overwhelmed by the physical demands of parenting, you aren’t alone. 

3 tips for parenting in the AI boom, from a Millennial mom raising a Gen Alpha son

How do we encourage our kids to work hard, do for themselves and use their own creative energy and mental labor to excel when nearly everything in their young lives can be automated, outsourced or generated?

Watching my children struggle has been the hardest part of parenting—here’s how I do it

I have come to realize my job as a mother is to help my children build a lifelong practice of feeling all the feels—especially the hard ones.

My 7-year-old watched ‘The Sandlot’—and now we’re a baseball family

One of the deepest joys was watching my husband and our son connect over the game.

I was conflicted about having a third child—here’s what I’ve learned during my daughter’s first year

Our life is busier and louder, but it is also so much brighter now that she’s here.

Navigating pregnancy loss after the loss of my mother 

I worked through the emotions of that miscarriage by telling myself that whoever that little baby was, he or she is up there baking cookies and gardening while my mom is telling them all about me.

Summer is here—and so is my mom guilt

Nobody needs me right now, but I still feel that my value is tied to my usefulness.

Relocating for ‘better’: This Bluey episode reminds me of my own complicated feelings about starting over 

Watching Bandit tell Bluey that their move would mean a better life for them all has made me question whether our own move truly has been better for all of us. 

Climate anxiety disproportionately burdens moms: Here’s why 

Women are expected to continue mothering and caregiving, requiring them to navigate obvious risks associated with rising temperatures, shifting landscapes and extreme weather events.

Teaching my children to be good citizens: How to foster empathy through philanthropic giving

As parents, we can empower our children to shape the future by instilling habits of generosity. Data shows that being generous also improves well-being and mental health—benefiting everyone.

Right before he sets off for college, my teen wants to hang out with me—be still my heart

This wouldn’t be remarkable for any reason other than he’s 17. And given that he’s now a driving, almost adult, I see the mailman more predictably than I see my son. Since he wasn’t feverish, I claimed it as the only thing it could be: A Sunday miracle.

Here’s to the ‘middle moms’ who are navigating motherhood between preschool and prom

Middle moms are straddling two worlds.

To the teen girls at the swimming pool

Don’t worry; this isn’t going to be one of those letters.

If you don’t live near your village, here’s how to create one 

Do whatever it takes to get the support you need because raising children is not easy and you shouldn’t have to do it on your own.

A mantra for mamas: ‘It’s safe to let the love get bigger’

Mothering is a daily, moment-to-moment spiritual practice.

Embracing my ‘fire’—even if it embarrasses my teen

Just the other day my son said, “You know, Mom, I’m generally not embarrassed by you.”

Cat’s cradle: Life lessons from the family game closet 

She made a nest in that closet among the broken jump ropes, deflated basketballs, unstrung tennis rackets, and 20-year-old coats.

To the women who call themselves mothers, and those who almost did

If this day means joy to you, may you have the happiest of all days. But if this day means grief to you, may you find understanding for your quiet burden.

Spring’s yellow: A wistful season of beginnings and endings

As color blooms back into the city and the cold wanes, I feel a familiar sadness take hold. Every year, the same deep heartache.