Parenting Confessions – Lina Branter

My Abortion: A Story of Privilege and Un-Shame

When I was 20 years old I was a total mess of a human being. The snowballing of bad choices began in my 18th year at around graduation. The end of high school coincided with the end of my first real love relationship. I was to blame for that, and because I was to blame,Continue reading “My Abortion: A Story of Privilege and Un-Shame”

You Only Meet Yourself

It is strange how things come into your life when you most need them. I made a friend recently. We met at a social networking event. The room was crowded and noisy and you had to yell to be heard. I was wedged between strangers on a circular bench table. He was on theContinue reading “You Only Meet Yourself”

Self-Censorship Shmelf-shmensorship

One of the reasons personal posts have become few and far between is because my children are now of the age where they actually read this blog. I have become more circumspect about sharing anything that might embarrass them or give away something a child should never know about her mother. As you can imagine,Continue reading “Self-Censorship Shmelf-shmensorship”

Is this it?

It has been a long time since I have posted to this blog. Two months almost exactly, actually. I want to write something, I do. I want to talk about what is going on in my life. Make some amusing but heartfelt comments on what it all means. I want to write a personal post, notContinue reading “Is this it?”

Random Thoughts: What goes through my head when I think of my teenage daughters

Status Update: I am tired. It is still very much in the minuses outside. This winter is never-ending, like the end of a Police song or a trilogy by Peter Jackson or an Oscar speech. We have all given up hope of ever seeing green grass again. Oh, and I am now officially the mother ofContinue reading “Random Thoughts: What goes through my head when I think of my teenage daughters”

When the mice are away, the cats play

Now don’t get me wrong. I would way rather have my children home than not. But that does not mean that J and I have been sitting around the house pining away. No sirree. This is a sample of what we have been up to since our children decided to traipse off across the countryContinue reading “When the mice are away, the cats play”

What do you mean, you’re leaving?

I think I have a problem with living too much on paper. Once, when I was in Grad school and my children were 6 and 4 years old respectively, I saw an empty space in my calendar. I had class Monday to Friday morning, and my husband’s vernissage that night as well as an invitationContinue reading “What do you mean, you’re leaving?”

What Not To Do At Your Child’s Dance Show

Last week was my eldest daughter’s ballet concert. Now, she has been doing ballet since she was five- nay- she has been dancing since she was two, and it consisted of her flailing her arms and running around the community centre gym. My youngest daughter also dances (she started out with ballet but quickly turnedContinue reading “What Not To Do At Your Child’s Dance Show”

3 Arguments to Give my Daughters in Favour of Feminism

It is Sunday morning at 8:45. The family is asleep and I am sweltering in my little writer’s corner (the Habitat my husband built for me) listening to CBC and drinking that all important first cup of coffee. For the first time in a few weeks, I don’t have anything urgent I need to getContinue reading “3 Arguments to Give my Daughters in Favour of Feminism”