“I used to stand on the sidelines of my kids’ games and listen closely to the rich moms. My stomach dropped, my defenses rose every time: Must be nice to live that way. Do they have any idea what it’s like to have $40 left 10 days before payday? I was righteous. It made me feel better to put them down. A simple request from my teen daughter one morning put me on a journey of changing my reverse-pride.”
‘I LOVE those, are they Lulu? I just got 3 new pairs! Aren’t they great?!’ I’m a poor mom living in a rich-mom world.’: Mom learns to stops judging the rich after holiday act of kindness, ‘the size of our bank accounts doesn’t define us’
‘Do you mind if we pray together?’ He voted for Trump, I voted for Hilary. He grabbed my hands. Tears started to flow.’: Woman loses son to ‘senseless murder,’ shares co-worker’s act of kindness despite differences
“I was having a tough time yesterday missing my son. He was senselessly murdered this summer during college. I usually hide it behind a smile, but on this day, I just couldn’t. Zach and I work together at the Ford truck plant. ‘What’s wrong?’ he asked. Like many, he said ‘sorry.’ We went back to work. Minutes later, he came back. Tears started to flow. Who knew 2 people with so little in common could share something so big and beautiful?”
‘What are you doing? STOP.’ An older gentleman approached me in the store. ‘You stole that baby!’: Mom adopts ‘beautiful white baby boy’ from foster care, claims ‘love is colorful!’
“‘I’m recording evidence to take to security,’ the older gentleman explained. He began photographing my son. ‘Why didn’t you let that baby stay with his kind?’ The first day that nurse handed me a 2-pound, beautiful white baby boy, I thought, ‘Is this a joke?’ Then, my motherly instincts kicked in. Not once in my mind or heart did I feel Princeton didn’t belong to me. I will ALWAYS choose him.”
‘Trans men have periods, too.’ If my 4-year-old son can grasp this, so can you.’: Mom teaches son ‘inclusive’ menstruation lesson to create ‘safe space’ for transgender, non-binary individuals
“My son Eli was informed about periods when he saw blood on my pants. I didn’t use the language ‘women have periods’ because it’s not entirely inclusive. It’s not insulting to women, it’s not discrediting women. Removing a female logo off sanitary products helps include us all. It was easy for him to accept it.”
‘Never say ‘NO’ to a guy who had the courage to ask you to dance. It’s 3 minutes. It’s not THAT bad.’: Mom ‘shocked, disgusted’ by church flyer she claims ‘perpetuates rape culture’
“The flyer tells girls, ‘Wear a little lip gloss. And don’t forget the approved dress standards. You don’t want the guy dancing with you to feel uncomfortable because of the questionable outfit you justified.’ No. NOPE. NOOO! My church taught me I needed men to tell me how to behave sexually. I lived my whole life with shame, guilt. This is not happening with my daughter.”
‘My daughter Penny is not a ‘mistake.’ She is perfection.’: Down syndrome mom explains the difference between ‘inclusion’ and helping special needs individuals ‘belong’
“People often feel awkward asking questions about my daughter. Penny gets sidelined from activities and events because they don’t know how to welcome her. The message of inclusion is, ‘We want you here with us.’ But belonging emerges from a deep desire to not just include the ‘other,’ but to love and be loved.”
‘I don’t want you with those black kids,’ a mom whispered at the park. Being white, she didn’t know they’re MINE.’: Mom ‘livid’ after woman interrupts ‘innocent play time’ with hate, encourages us to ‘intervene, love one another’
“Every time her child went back to playing with my kids, like clockwork the mom came back and told her to stop. This poor child was waiting for her mother to not be paying attention so she could go back to laughing and playing. Enough was enough. ‘Hi, how are you? I just want you to know those little black girls you’re so afraid of, those are MY children.’ She turned beet red.”
‘Will is gay! Mom, I’m the first person to know!’ I immediately got nervous for him.’: 12-year-old gay son comes out, celebrated with epic outpouring of support from ‘Pride Tribe’
“My 12-year-old daughter appeared in the kitchen after school. She started a conversation the same way she always does – ‘MOM! Guess what?!,’ except this time it wasn’t followed with, ‘Kate likes so-and-so’ or ‘Mrs. O gave us so much homework!’ This time, her face lit up. ‘He told me first!’ I was happy her friend had confided in her, but I was scared for Will. I asked if he’d told his parents yet. The answer was ‘No.’”
‘My disabled child is not an ‘angel.’ He is not ‘celestial’ or ‘heavenly.’ He’s just like you, fully human.’: Down syndrome mom claims son ‘wasn’t sent here to teach you or me something’
“People often refer to my disabled son with angelic, heavenly labels. I’m his mom. I’ve seen things. I know better. When we project this ‘heavenly’ identity onto people with disabilities, we unknowingly strip their humanity and make them more ‘other.’ My son just wants to be loved for exactly who he is.”
‘She was the most beautiful baby. But I felt helpless. My wife in the NICU crying, my child on a stretcher crying.’: 2 moms welcome daughter with Down syndrome after miscarriages, she’s ‘the best thing has happened to us’
“My wife and I started thinking about having kids. I had it all worked out. We did our research, picked a donor, scheduled the IUI and would start our family – boy was I wrong. After 3 failed attempts and 2 miscarriages, I knew I needed to give my body a break, so my wife Lisa decided she’d give it a try. He then said the words I will never forget. ‘Do you want to terminate?’ I was floored, in shock and mad. No!”
