Nurshable

Letters to My Sons

  • The Day the Toddler Slapped the Baby

    Dear Kids, You’re most definitely going to grow up remembering the phrase “Your job is to be best friends.” I say it no fewer than twenty times on a bad day. And then on the good days I don’t say… Continue reading

  • Watching Me Fail

    Dear Eldest, When I was eight years old I quit learning how to crochet after I learned the first and most basic stitch. The chain stitch. The next step up was “too hard”. Now, at thirty-two I am learning to… Continue reading

  • When We Do a 180

    Dear Oldest, You are five and a half. You’ve discovered by now that adults are sometimes fickle things. One moment laughing and enjoying that thing that you’re doing, and the next moment annoyed. We need to be more patient with… Continue reading

  • I Value Your Trust

    Dear I, A and K, When you were born you were placed in my arms and you trusted me. You had no reason not to. Your needs had been met absolutely and without fail for the nine months that were… Continue reading

  • Why You Are Intact

    Dear Sons, Today the AAP released their analysis of the benefits and risks of circumcision. They have taken an odd hybrid stance where they say that the benefits outweigh the risks but that they cannot recommend routine infant circumcision. They… Continue reading

  • Your Body, Your Space

    Dear Kids, The oldest of you has already started being exposed to teasing. The younger two of you have yet to be. Let me tell you a secret. You will be teased no matter what. For attracting attention or for… Continue reading

  • Learning to Self Soothe (WIO)

    Dear Middlechild, This past week you’ve been unhappy in the middle of the night, waking up and wanting to come into our bed. You have had the “ick” but also you have been going through a bit of sleep regression. … Continue reading

  • Growing Up Broken

    Dear Kids, When I was five, just about a month before my sixth birthday, I broke. It was the Friday before Easter, and my grandmother Millie was visiting. We were sitting on the old wooden steps in front of my… Continue reading

  • Fever Hot

    Dear Middlechild, Last night at four AM you woke crying for a drink of water. Your skin burned against mine as I kissed your forehead. You drank your water and laid close talking to me in your little baby voice,… Continue reading

  • Rotten Day

    Dear Kids, Today was a rotten day. A terrible rotten day, actually. Not the type of “bad” day where you find out a loved one has cancer or that your dog died. But a lethargic unfun blah day. Eldest, you… Continue reading