Parenting when you can no longer keep them in your sight — “Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had, and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed.” Linda Wooten I set out on the path of motherhood forty-two years ago with joy and optimism. …

But I am good with kids anyway — “What’s wrong with you?” The teacher looked across the table at me as I attempted to finish the craft we were making with the class. “You are the hippy person who looks like they can knit and make stuff out of anything.” She was expecting me to be helpful when…

Only under my breath — The dog appears to be getting fat. To quote the movie Love Actually: “Ooh, would we call her chubby?” I think she might be offended when I call her fat when I have to lift her up the stairs on the boat where we live. And obviously, it’s my fault…

The gathering of the family — So we are at a family gathering with some of our kids and grandkids. We are out on the deck at our son’s house. There are good eats and kids running about. …

A life of wonder with our kid with ADHD — Parenting a child with ADHD can be like riding the Ferris wheel, or maybe a merry-go-round. Or perhaps one of those that whip you through the sky at a rapid pace. I found my son’s old daytimer from when he was in grade 2. That was a long time ago…

Unless you love conversations with random strangers — I’m good at striking up conversations with random people. I’m not sure if it’s a positive trait or not. Usually, you can tell pretty quickly if the person I am verbally stalking is receptive or not. …

Recovering lost intimacy at ninety — He gazed up at the window. Hidden beside his workshop where his wife couldn’t see him. He’d get out some binoculars but that seemed extreme. Carl wasn’t a creepy guy. Well, he didn’t think he was. He needed a pair of glasses like the ones you could buy at the…

And other meaningless instructions — My mother always told me to wear clean underwear. In case I was in an accident and had to go to the hospital. So mostly I do. Wear clean underwear. There are exceptions of course. Emergencies happen when you go somewhere and didn’t pack enough and don’t have a place…

Or my mother for that matter — I’m grandchild-sitting yet again. Their parents are away for a week. The bigger grands this time, ages fifteen, twelve and nine. Different kind of energy level than looking after the nine-month-old. Also requires a shift from a couple of weeks ago when we were with the two- and four-year-olds. These…