teenagers

  • Go

    Being a mother to children ages nineteen and almost seventeen can be a bewildering, conflicting business. They’re not children, for one. They are somewhere very close to adulthood, and it’s no longer my job to drive them places, or pack snacks or enforce some of the smaller rules I hoped would give structure to their…

  • Mother

    I cannot sleep until my children are home. These days as a mother of teenagers, it makes for some late nights on the couch, phone in my hand, until I hear the car pull in, the door click open. Their father is able to sleep soundly without one speck of worry in their absence, and…

  • Christians

    In the wake of news that America is seeing a sharp decline in those who call themselves Christian, discussion seems to be centered in two areas: why the faith is not relevant today, and the value of organized religion to our society. Lots of the commenters I’ve read claim this represents a new age of…

  • My dog, the teenager

    My dog, the teenager. I have had a dog for almost two weeks, and I am trying to reconcile the nature of our relationship. I’m not my dog’s Mom, certainly, but there are elements of Mom-ness that I must incorporate into our exchanges so that everything in the house runs smoothly. Being the mother means…

  • Twelve-going-on-thirteen

    As we get ready for Brian to start middle school, I find myself totally overwhelmed.  Twelve-going-on-thirteen is a rollercoaster.  Sometimes my son is incredibly annoyed by every member of our family (mostly me) and is steadfastly stubborn in his belief that everyone else is living a life much better and grander than his own.  At other times,…