The following is a true story. **************** Panic was the only thing I could feel. Where was my child? The daughter I had so lovingly raised from birth? One minute, I was cradling my precious 5-year-old in my arms. The next minute, I would never hold her again.Distraught and completely inconsolable, I realized it was … Continue reading The Daughter I Lost
*Links to the other parts of The "Chosen" Path series are given at the end of this post. After having analyzed each of the three statements more closely, a much clearer picture of the reasons behind all of the frustration experienced by moms in general, and stay-at-home moms in particular, has emerged. It is clear … Continue reading The “Chosen” Path: Conclusion
*Links to the other parts of The "Chosen" Path series are given at the end of this post. Fallacy #3: She CHOSE to place 100% of the financial burden onto the back of her husband!Before digging into the nitty gritty, let's run some simple numbers:1. How many hours are in a week?168 hours2. How many … Continue reading The “Chosen” Path: Fallacy #3
*Links to the other parts of The "Chosen" Path series are given at the end of this post. Fallacy #2: She CHOSE not to work outside of the home!I want to clarify my views from the outset: I am not “anti-working-mom.” Many of my close friends and family members are working moms. My husband and … Continue reading The “Chosen” Path: Fallacy #2
*Links to the other parts of The "Chosen" Path series are given at the end of this post. Fallacy #1: She CHOSE to have kids! "She CHOSE to have kids," Mr. or Mizz Childless so astutely assert about the stay-at-home mom that dares to complain. They say it so matter-of-factly, so presumptuously. To them, a … Continue reading The “Chosen” Path: Fallacy #1
*Links to the other parts of The "Chosen" Path series are given at the end of this post. I must confess two things. The first confession is something that you may already be aware of, but I will state it anyway: I am considered to be a stay-at-home mom. Although I did manage to start … Continue reading The “Chosen” Path: Introduction
“Balancing pride is about recognizing the difference between healthy self-esteem and destructive arrogance. Healthy pride is grounded in humility and gratitude. It acknowledges personal and collective achievements without losing sight of the contributions of others and the broader context in which success is achieved. On the other hand, avoiding toxic pride involves self-awareness and empathy. … Continue reading “I did it all – by myself!” (Yeah, right.)
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It is easy to imagine the enthusiasm in the tiny voice as it exclaims: “Astronaut!”“Doctor!”“Firefighter!”“Teacher!”If a child gave any one of these responses, it would not be cause for shock. Each of these answers would be considered quite normal. Now, let's try this one on … Continue reading Where Have All The Mothers Gone?
https://youtu.be/EvnJhwIwqds?si=RFS42QRTr3q2miKy I highly recommend that you ready some tissues before watching this. Seriously. Thank heavens! Finally! Apple has proven itself to be a company that has been paying attention to what the majority of people ACTUALLY associate with fulfillment and meaning in life. It is the most anti-woke, pro-family ad I have seen in years … Continue reading The New Wave of Advertising: Focusing on What Truly Matters
A few posts back, I discussed RFK, Jr.'s Froot Loops comment and how ingredients differ between not only the American and Canadian versions, but also from the Italian version. It acts as almost a prequel to what I am about to write here. The prequel-esque post can be found at: https://piecestopeace.home.blog/2024/11/19/froot-loops-and-rfk-jr-s-claim-about-the-american-food-industry/ Since creating the above … Continue reading Satisfying the Appetite for Success: American “Junk Food” Version VS. Italian “Nutrient-Rich” Version
This post has nothing to do with the presidential election, I promise you. My husband simply shared this video with me this morning, and I felt the desire to share its uplifting message with others. I wish the very best to this young family! May others follow their example! https://youtube.com/shorts/nvTtYuwBkYg?si=wHGC8MJumvGsZNQB A person is not likely … Continue reading What America Needs
Confession: I'm a cheapskate.Spending money unnecessarily feels to my gut the same way as fingernails scratching slowly down a chalkboard sounds to my ears: very painful. If I would ever win the lottery, I swear to you that I would continue to wear the same types of clothes, live in the same modest house, and … Continue reading How to Torture a Cheapskate
In every relationship, there always seems to be “that” person. You know the type, the flaw-finder. Just give them a few minutes and they could find an imperfection in the Pearly Gates at the entrance of Heaven itself! What if “that” person is…your spouse?I speak from personal experience when I say that you are in … Continue reading Loving a Recovering Flaw-Finding Addict
Enough is enough! Although shoulders serve many invaluable purposes, their worth is often vastly underestimated and easily overlooked. This is a sad plight for shoulders everywhere, and it is time for a change. It is high time that shoulders receive the recognition they deserve!To this end, I will be pointing out the numerous purposes of … Continue reading The True Value of the Inconspicuous Shoulder
The world lost an amazing man recently: my brother. It happened rather unexpectedly; although, I don't know whether that makes it easier or harder to bear. He was a hard-working employee, but his job did not define him. The things that meant the most to him were not things that could be bought with the … Continue reading Time: Life’s Currency
Take a deep breath, everyone. I realize that learning about the Altar of Parenthood in Part 5 was tough! Never fear! No more with the sacrificial offerings! In this part, being the conclusion of the Types of Moms series, I make only offerings of promise and hope to stressed-out and befuddled moms of every type! … Continue reading Types of Moms ~ Part 6: An Offering of Hope
It has been established in Part 4 that there is no clear winner in the battle between types of moms when it comes to having a ‘til-death-do-us-part marriage. Also, I clarified my reasoning as to why I have chosen to couple “lifetime marriage” with “life-fulfillment.” Now, with all of that behind us, it is time … Continue reading Types of Moms ~ Part 5: The Altar of Parenthood
You may have noticed that I have refused to exert any effort into discussing the “I Could Care Less” mom type; for example, those who neither work outside the home nor give their all at home with the kids, those who are downright lazy, or those who are neglectful of or abusive towards their children. … Continue reading Types of Moms ~ Part 4: Who Wins?
The previous post, Types of Moms ~ Part 2, discussed in detail the harsh realities that all working moms are faced with each and every day. In brief, working moms undoubtedly take on more of the unpaid labor of household management and childcare in a dual-income household, setting her up for burnout and an increase … Continue reading Types of Moms ~ Part 3: The “Work is My Passion,” the “My Kids Drive Me Crazy,” and the “Lover of Money and Status”
In Types of Moms ~ Part 1, the “All-In Gambler” type was discussed. In a nutshell, this is the mom that takes on the gargantuan task of being the central stabilizing pillar of support within the family unit. She accomplishes all of the unpaid child-rearing/default parent duties and household manager tasks that exist within the … Continue reading Types of Moms ~ Part 2: The “Just Trying to Make Ends Meet” and the “Bet-Hedger”
What is the best description of the mental state of a woman who chooses to focus on her household and family after having children, besides “completely off her rocker”? Although this type of woman is becoming something of an endangered species nowadays, there are still a precious few in existence. This rare outlier is best … Continue reading Types of Moms ~ Part 1: The “All-In Gambler”
A mother has just been born... What type of mom will she become? What will her goals be? What types of things will she value? What will she prioritize? Will her journey be happy and fulfilling? Will the path be fairly smooth and clear or riddled with pitfalls and dead ends? Will all of her … Continue reading Types of Moms ~ Introduction: Posing the Questions
Sometimes, the person you know inside and out can still surprise you. For example, I was left speechless by my husband of 23 years when he said some precious words to me the other day:“Your wrinkles will be our memories. I will love and treasure them all.”I was awestruck by his choice of words at … Continue reading Wrinkles are Memories that Bond
Our world is full of color. Everywhere you look, any hour of the day, an infinite array of reds, yellows, blues, and every mixture in between bursts into our vision. Sometimes vibrant neons assault us; other times, we are snuggled by muted pastels.Color saturation in our daily lives can easily be taken for granted. After … Continue reading Why Can’t He See Me?
After having posted The Flip/Flop Challenge, I felt that a follow-up was needed. In the original post, I discovered that I had neglected to address one major aspect of the challenge. Here, in The Flip/Flop Challenge: Part 2, I will cover the remaining part.Many times, after the honeymoon phase of a relationship has ended, a … Continue reading The Flip/Flop Challenge…Continued
You meet that person. That special person. You make each other laugh. You enjoy spending time together. Your life-goals are in perfect harmony. A proposal is made and accepted. A commitment follows. Years pass. The edges of your relationship have gotten worn out and begun to fray. Nerves are on edge. You used to enjoy … Continue reading The Flip/Flop Challenge
You have heard people speak of them. Husbands swear they know of one at work. Wives affirm that they caught sight of one at the grocery store. Dissatisfied husbands and wives everywhere want so badly to believe that this creature truly exists. Therefore, it must be real! It must exist! The Rainbow Unicorn! That mythical … Continue reading On the Hunt for the Mythical Rainbow Unicorn
Imagine a time when you felt unsafe, in pain, trapped, scared, or helpless. What happened within your mind? What physical symptoms surfaced? Clammy palms? Pounding heart? Feeling like you wanted to scream? Feeling like you needed to escape? I know, it is not fun to force yourself to relive unpleasant feelings such as these. However, … Continue reading Motherhood PTSD
Plummeting birth rates. The correct term is “child-free,” not “child-less.” Daycare centers are outrageously priced and yet bursting at the seams. Frazzled moms. Oblivious husbands. Strained marriages. All work and no play. It seems that these are the statements that sum up what “family” has come to mean in today's society. How have the words … Continue reading The Motherhood Conundrum
What do you imagine when you hear the word “vacation”? Imagine your next one. Where will you go? What will you spend your time doing? Feeling adventurous? Try challenging mountain hikes or participating in a tough-mudder! Prefer relaxation? Schedule a spa getaway and pamper yourself with yoga and massages! How about those who enjoy experiencing … Continue reading Vacations: Why and How Most Moms Never Have One
I created this a few years ago in response to my husband's repeated inability to comprehend the amount of unpaid work that is required to simply keep a household running day-in and day-out. It also puts a dollar amount (a very conservative dollar amount estimate, I might add) on what all my labor would have … Continue reading Household Manager Duties and Pay
For those of you who think this will be a post about finances, I hate to disappoint, but it is most certainly not. However, I must begin by clearly defining and explaining the term of the day prior to jumping into my main point. That being said, with no further ado, let’s kick this off … Continue reading Front-Loader, not Free-Loader
Every marriage has its problems. Happily, most of these are quite normal and common and are resolvable with love, dedication, hard work, and patience. However, there are some issues that cause such unspeakable wreckage that the marriage is barely salvageable. One of these home-wrecking examples is, of course, infidelity. Having survived and rebuilt my marriage … Continue reading To Salvage or Not to Salvage…
You would probably never expect to join the words “marriage” and “battlefield” in the same sentence and expect that sentence to have a positive spin to it. However, it can be done, and quite easily! When each of the marriage partners are on the battlefield, but as allies instead of enemies, working together as a … Continue reading What’s the Game Plan?
Important: The following is not only for wives; it applies equally to husbands. Also, I am not saying that NO good reasons to choose divorce exist; I'm only suggesting that personal happiness levels should not be the deciding factor. I just finished reading the following article, which promotes a deeply worrisome mentality that seems to … Continue reading Uh-Oh, I Just Felt a Raindrop…Let’s Divorce
I'm cringing just a bit because I have to tell you this "amazing" broccoli casserole recipe...you'll see why I'm cringing, as soon as I tell you how it is made. It is a stereotypically American recipe, in the worst stereotypical way possible. Ok, I hope I have prepared you enough for what follows, but you … Continue reading Some Traditions Deserve to be Discarded
A beautiful vessel, crafted lovingly with much care and attention, long prized and cherished, teeters on the edge. Traitorous gravity! It tumbles down, end-over-end, for what seems like an eternity, pulling my heart with it. A sickening sound breaks the heavy silence and a priceless artwork becomes a useless pile of shards. A period of … Continue reading Kintsugi
Once, there was a man who made his home in a hidden and rare world of beauty. In this world, there existed everything necessary for peace and contentment. All the waters were cool and refreshing. The trees contained many varieties of tasty and nourishing fruits. The flowers perfumed the air with soothing scents. He had … Continue reading A Man’s Journey
While with you and experiencing your lifestyle, he was immature, undeveloped, like a caterpillar. Spending every day the same way, endlessly crawling through the dirt with other undeveloped and immature creatures like himself. Always struggling in vain to satisfy his appetite, but never able to be fully satiated and content. Always feeling empty, always a … Continue reading The Metamorphosis
Pieces to Peace 