The Realities of Parenting a Black Son
Motherhood is full of joy and heartbreak. But for a Black mother in America, it also means fiercely protecting her child by fending off an unrelenting onslaught of racism and ignorance.
Mother’s Day
My Mother Has Always Wanted to Die. Do I Let Her?
After a lifetime of living with her mother’s mental illness, our writer reckons with the love of a parent who longs to say good-bye.
Who’s My Mother?
Raised by two different toxic maternal figures, the writer has spent her life looking for someone to nurture and guide her. And she found her in the most unexpected place.
Happy Effin’ Mother’s Day, Betty Draper!
The Hallmark holiday, on which the latest episode of "Mad Men" aired, is far from perfect. But, then again, so are we.
My Mother Didn’t Work. And That’s Okay
Driven by passionate professional goals, the writer—and now cheese maker—was embarrassed by her mom’s lack of career. Until she realized why she shouldn’t be.
My Mom Didn’t Want to Be a Mother
In this painfully honest essay, the writer shares what it’s like to grow up with a toxic mom who made it very clear that she didn’t want to have children.
My Mom Was Always Old
The writer’s mother embraced her grays and wrinkles like every other woman of her generation. Her daughter, however, faces her terror with Botox, hair dye, and a healthy dose of denial.
Is “Baby Fever” Killing My Chance to Have Kids?
In the wake of the sentimental Mother’s Day assault, one childless writer calls b.s. on biological clock extremists.
In Praise of Surrogate Mothers
Losing my mother left a hole in my heart that can never be filled. But from a tragedy came so much love from a group of women whom I'll never forget.
The Invisible Pregnancy
She might not endure physical labor, but the swelling of anticipation is true for this American writer who touchingly tells the story of her international adoption.