April 2013

How Empathy Could Save Lives: The Ethan Saylor Tragedy, Penny, and a Better FutureWhat my daughter's friendships have to do with a young man with Down syndrome who was killed over the cost of a movie ticket.

I was walking home with my daughter Penny and her friend yesterday. We had invited the friend over for a last minute play date. I overheard the friend say to Penny, "You keep asking the same question." Penny has Down syndrome, and sometimes it is hard for her to think of a new ...

Why We Go to ChurchI was irritated with my kids all through church and the entranced by them later that afternoon at the beach. So which one was the more spiritual experience?

It would be so much easier if we just stayed put on Sunday mornings.

Take yesterday as an example.

Even though our kids wake up a good four hours before the service starts, somehow we scramble to get everyone showered and dressed and out the door. There's a fight over who drives ...

Let there be Yes: A Poem and Giveaway by Sarah Dunning ParkPoet and mother Sarah Dunning Park shares a poem and some thoughts about saying no, and saying yes, to our kids.

Today's guest post is from Sarah Dunning Park. I had the privilege of receiving a review copy of her book a while back, and after I read it, I wrote: "Sarah Dunning Park has given parents of young children a great gift in this book. She has taken the quotidian life of laundry ...

Talking with Dennis Rainey About Parenting, Faith, and Down SyndromeHow a trip to Arkansas helped me get my life together... (plus an interview in two parts about parenting, disability, and faith)

The short story: on Thursday and Friday, you can listen to a broadcast of a conversation ("Special Kids, Special Needs") on Family Life Radio with Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine who interviewed Jennifer Shaw (singer/songwriter and author of Life Not Typical) and me a few months ...

Losing the Habit of FaithI learned on Easter Sunday that my inconsistent practice of faith changes nothing about God's faithfulness to us.

It has been six weeks since we moved into our new house. So far, we've lost a tie rack, a Fisher Price barn, a navy blue quilted jacket, and our silver. (I can now amend this post to say I discovered the silver at the bottom of a large overlooked box in the basement, interspersed ...

Remembering A Good and Perfect Gift"But that heartbreak broke her through, into the truth..."

I haven't done any speaking events this past year, intentionally. I knew the travel would be too much for me and for our family. But as the winter wore on, I agreed to a few events this spring–a talk at St. Luke's in Darien, CT, last Sunday, a local book club next week, and ...

How I Learned to Be Content and Stop Complaining (Kind of) This YearIn the midst of tantrums and tears, I complained a lot. And I learned a little bit about contentment anyway.

I have complained a lot this year. If you read this blog, you've read some of my woes–William's tantrums, Marilee's desire to emulate her older brother, Penny's endless doctor appointments, a very sick cat, and moving from one house to another more often than I would ever want. ...

What I'm Reading: On Religion and Sorrow and Babies and WritingA smorgasbord of things to read this week.

So I feel as though I am standing next to a conveyer belt and lovely, interesting items are flying past me all day long. And I'm supposed to grab one and hang on to them, but I can't. Sometimes I'm indecisive–is this one really more interesting than that one? I can only grab ...

Four Myths About Prenatal TestingMy guest post for Ellen Seidman's parents.com blog on four myths surrounding prenatal testing.

When I was a pregnant 28-year old, I didn't hesitate as my doctor offered a screening test for various genetic conditions. I figured it couldn't hurt me or my baby, and that the information the test provided would most likely allow me to check a box off my mental ...

What William's Tantrums Have Taught Me About God's Love

Sunday morning was rough.

Peter had offered to let me sleep in. William didn't approve. As the morning wore on, he became more and more upset, and eventually his yelling woke me up. Soon enough, I was the recipient of his anger, as a result of denying him the towel that Marilee ...

The Problems with Outlawing Selective Abortion"Until we learn how to value every human being based upon their identity as children, neighbors, friends, and siblings, as ones who exist in reciprocal relationships of love and care with others, we will continue to devalue every human being."

I have a new post for the Atlantic, in which I argue that North Dakota's Ban is a Bad Way to Stop Selective Abortion. I hope you'll join the comments over on that site or offer your own here. Here's one paragraph to peak your interest:

But to argue for my daughter's value based ...
Positive Discipline for AdultsLearning to be grateful without punishing myself for complaining...

It's been a tough year, as many of you know. I won't go into the details again, but moving and trying to figure out a new town and new schools and a new job for Peter has taken it's toll. And as the year has gone along, I've been convicted of two things: I complain too much, ...

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