Why does society often view childless women as sad or bitter? Just because you can doesn’t mean you want to or even should have children. Michelle Rabil responds to a recent Slate.com article about the public perception of child-free women. When I got the OK to write a response to Katie Roiphe’s Slate article “Do We Secretly […]
This week’s roundup of our favorites from across the interwebs to help you make sense of men and women. 1. As Women Grow Older, Daughter Becomes The Favorite by Amina Khan of the Los Angeles Times says that a study of cellphone calls and text messages finds that as women age, their focus shifts from […]
An increasing number of American women are trying to breastfeed their babies, but without proper models to learn from, their attempts rarely last long. Misty McLaughlin, an avid proponent of breastfeeding, discusses the benefits for mother and baby, and urges more women to talk about the process. There’s a soundtrack that I hear in my […]
This piece originally appeared on ChildWild. Republished here with permission. I started working on this post a year ago no, that was two years ago, my god, and never managed to finish writing it. I like to pretend that’s because I got busy with other writing projects. The truth is it freaks me the fuck […]
Are the all-female wedding and baby showers a necessary evil to rack up on gifts? Or are they painful reminders of our inadequacies? Lyla Cicero explores the tradition. There are few things women feel more ambivalent about than bridal and baby showers. I think it’s in part because in their traditional form, showers are places […]
There is no way to measure whose lot is harder, and it shouldn’t matter anyway. In the wake of Hilary Rosen’s comments about stay-at-home mother Ann Romney, Kate McGuinness urges women to stop letting political rhetoric interfere with solidarity. The latest skirmish in the battle for women’s votes centers on whether it’s “harder” to be […]
This week’s roundup of our favorites from across the interwebs to help you make sense of men and women. 1. The ‘Pregnancy Police’ Are Everywhere (Even in Your Head) by KJ Dell’Antonia of The New York Times Motherlode blog asks: Are pregnant women who color their hair—or paint their toenails, or hire a baby nurse, […]
Michael Erard and his wife both work from home, so creating a schedule for family time, creative time, and play time with their 2-year-old son required a little creativity, but they’re making it work—one 24-hour cycle at a time. An artist friend of mine once observed that this generation of kids will be unique for […]
The terms “boyfriend/girlfriend” hardly encompass what Maria Peña and her partner, Matt, are to each other, but they are not legally married. And she’s tired of having to explain why—when they are as committed to each other and each other’s children as any married couple could be. “How do you refer to each other?” It […]
There’s no guide to explaining to young children why their father left, as Katerina Zacharia—the mother of Demitri and Jaya—found out. But she’s going with her gut, and she’s doing just fine. The other day, we were driving home after the daycare pickup when Demitri cocked his head to the side and in the same […]
This piece was originally published on New York Family magazine. Republished here with permission. Whether it’s out of a desire for an equal and supportive relationship—or out of necessity—families are recognizing that life is a lot more manageable when both parents are competent, caring and willing to share the load. Parenting in partnership isn’t always […]
Lyla Cicero is the odd-woman-out in her mothers’ group: Because her husband is not only a supportive father, he’s an excellent husband. So why does she feel the need to hide it? The first time it happened, I was at a Mothers of Multiples Club welcome brunch. My fantasy was that my terror at the […]
