Q: I’m hosting Christmas dinner for the first time ever this year. I think I’m pretty well prepared, but my mother always manages to say something nasty to me about how clean (or, according to her, how unclean) my house is, and I end up in tears every time she visits. What’s the best way to deal with this? Read More Ask UfYH: Stop Complaining and Have Some Eggnog
Tag: parents
Unimportant Years
I spent April 7 as I always do: with animals. Since 2002, I’ve always tried to find a way to spend that day at the zoo or aquarium, and I have only missed a few. My father loved zoos, and I have many happy memories of visiting monkey houses and polar bear pools with him. April 7, 2001 was the day he died.
Taking Pictures of Food
I’ve lived in Oregon for nearly eight years. Besides my Keens, my Decemberists shirts, and my reusable bags, the most Portland thing about me is that I take pictures of my food.
Ask UfYH: You Can Go Home Again, But Not to Clean It
Q: My parents’ house is a horrible mess. There are piles of crap everywhere, some of which hasn’t been touched in 20 years, and going home actively causes me anxiety. Every time I go home for a holiday, I end up doing nothing but 45/15s — and they THANK me for it, but I just don’t want to go home anymore because I’ve become The Cleaning Lady. What do you suggest? Read More Ask UfYH: You Can Go Home Again, But Not to Clean It
An Open Letter to My Mom and Dad
Mom, Dad, I love you guys. Look, I have made it past 30! I have accomplished a great feat. As parents, you afforded me tons of opportunities as a child like sending me to Europe as an exchange student and I relished those. All the travels we did together taught me a lot about what it means to be family. I also loved the summer college trip we took my junior year of high school. You instilled a moral system that still works for me today. You taught me to seek knowledge and we all know how that turned out for me. You know, me being the trivia master that I am.
Unconditional – A Love Letter to My Parents
I lucked out big time on the parent front, both right out of the womb and then again a few years later. Read More Unconditional – A Love Letter to My Parents
Women in Academia: Making Life Easier for Parents
Last week, I got a barrage of emails asking me to fill out year-end surveys about the various campus programs and initiatives. After several years working in psychology labs and seeing both how important surveys are and how often they are ignored, I have developed an intense guilt complex surrounding my interactions with surveys: now, I fill them all out. One them asked me to report my experiences and awareness of various family support programs, and I was surprised by how little I knew about them. Read More Women in Academia: Making Life Easier for Parents
Parenthood Recap: 3.07 “In-Between”
This week on Parenthood, Crosby & Adam hire a cute secretary, officially open the Luncheonette and manage to find time to manage their personal lives as well. Read More Parenthood Recap: 3.07 “In-Between”