Adult Children

My mother and grandmother had a contentious relationship. I say “relationship” very gingerly. As a youth the divorce of her parents put a wedge between them that would last until…

You’re into preparation mode-shopping, cooking, invitations, fundraisers, junk mail, Christmas cards, special parties. And this is above and beyond the regular stuff on your plate–sports teams, concerts, work deadlines, homework…

We have all probably heard the old adage, “A daughter is a daughter for life. But a son’s a son ’til he takes a wife.” As the mother of boys,…

“I’ve decided to begin some new techniques with my adult stepkids,” stepmom Nancy shared with me. “I sent an email to my step daughter-in-law sharing how I wanted to begin a…

Exhausting, exhilarating, bonding, hysterical and oh yeah, did I mention exhausting?? Yes! We just had our annual “Yates Family Reunion.” We have 5 kids, all married and 21 grandchildren- 14…

There’s nothing like a wedding, graduation, prom, or special occasion to get the tension taut in a stepfamily. That’s because dreams, family traditions, and high expectations are tied to these…

It’s not news: The reading habits of over 100 million have cannibalized the rest of the publishing world. EL James’s Fifty Shades of Grey has set the record as the…

I waited as long as I could for Ray to come to bed but sleep overtook me. I knew it was like so many times before that one of our…

I have two fine sons, amazing men. But when I think about it, one of best things they have ever done is to marry the women they did. When they…

October through December can be an excruciating time of year for those who have experienced a loss. In addition to the death of a loved one, divorce, illness, family trauma,…