Category Archives: Parenting

How to Talk to Your Kids About Mental Illness

Okay, folks…before I get too far into this, it bears mentioning that I am (obviously) not a professional! In all of this, I can only speak from personal experience so please take all of the advice given here as it’s meant: from a friend to a friend.  Now that all of that is out of the way, let’s get to it!

Talking to your kids about health issues is never easy.  We struggle with what to say, how to say it, and when.  How much should we share? Do they really need to know the details? When should we tell them something is wrong? As soon as we learn about it? After we’ve had time to process it ourselves?

The truth is, only you can really know the answer to these questions.  You know your children better than anyone and so you will know what information they can handle and how best to share it.  Still, there are some things that remain consistent no matter the kid, and there are some things that I’ve learned along the way, too.  That’s what I’m here to share! Read More

5 Ways to Keep Sane While Going Crazy

It happens to every parent.  You’re going about your day when you suddenly notice the massive pile of clothes in the middle of the floor.  And then you see the juice on the counter because someone didn’t bother putting it away.  And then, it’s the chewed up pen that the dog got to, and the baby is screaming, and you have to make dinner but there are no pans, and, and, and.  And suddenly, you snap.

stressed woman screaming black and white“That’s it! I’m done! Do your own dirty work from now on,” you say, stomping off to your room and slamming the door.

Okay, maybe not. Read More

2 Years Without Love – A Tale of Postpartum Depression

9 years ago, I was sold a lie.  That in itself is bad enough, but the heartbreak of it was that I had no idea until it was too late. In fact, many new parents are lied to, every day, and in the most oblivious way. Well wishers, proud parents, tell you how lucky you are and how much you are going to treasure your new child. When they’re born, you’ll look into those big eyes and your heart will swell.

Well, guess what. That’s not necessarily true. Let me tell you a story about what it was like for me. Read More

Brain Damage and the Concussion That Keeps Giving

Quick little off-day post here.  Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of my concussion.  For those that don’t know, I was cuddling with my daughter in her room when I managed to snap my head back into the windowsill.  I was completely stunned for five minutes, unable to speak.  Ten minutes later, I was sobbing uncontrollably.  Ten minutes after that, I was slurring my words and unable to stand.

One ER visit later, I was sent home with a clean brain scan and the comment that I’d probably given myself a “mild” concussion.

I basically woke up 3 days later.   Read More

Where do we fit in “Mommy Blog Land”?

I’m only a short distance into my blogging adventure and I’m realizing something very quickly… I don’t fit in here. Parenting blogs exist to show you how to succeed. They’re shiny, pretty, organized… they are filled with mothers just like us…doing their best. They deal with messy kids, hungry families, work, relationships, moves, all that stuff, and yet, somehow they manage to succeed.  Mommy blogs exist on the hopes that we can learn from the masters and bring some of that stability into our lives.

And you know what?  Sometimes it works!  Jeez, you never know unless you try, and there’s a really good chance that your veggie hating kid will love that cauliflower mac and cheese.

That said, my parenting life is a bit different.   Read More

Growing Up with a Bipolar Parent

I’m going to share something with you today that I didn’t learn until I was a teenager:

My mom has bipolar disorder.

I never knew it, but I lived my whole childhood under the canvas of a mental illness that I have since learned can make things hard on the good days and impossible on the bad. Now, many years later, I’m a parent myself living with the same issues and certain moments begin to make sense. Read More

Why I Committed to Being Committed

Bipolar sucks.

at the top of the roller coasterThere’s really no nice way to say it…it just sucks.  Even when things are good (and it does happen), there’s always the knowledge that it’s only for so long.  Eventually, you’ll hit the top of the hill and come rocketing down the other side.  Personally, I always try to do the best I can when I’m up, using that time to get all the jobs I’ve been putting off, finished.  Truth is, it rarely happens.  The joys of hypomania: I want to do all the things, so I start all the things but rarely finish any of them.

For the last couple of months, I was apparently in a hypomanic state.  I’ll admit, I never noticed it.  For me, it can be hard to tell because it feels like what I imagine “normal” is like. I was engaged with my family, keeping up on housework, enjoying hobbies and finding new ones. In fact, no one noticed what was going on…until I crashed down on the other side of the roller coaster.  And boy…what a crash. Read More