extended family
All about how to stay connected, strengthen ties and talk politics with your big, happy extended family.
Anna Dorosh, Supporting War-Affected Children in Ukraine: Grassroots Impact and Public Service
Anna Dorosh is a Ukrainian public-sector professional working in the Cabinet Secretariat of Ukraine, with expertise in European integration and strategic communications. She is a former assistant to the Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine. She is the initiator of an independent charitable project supporting children in difficult life circumstances, especially families affected by war and disability, SvyatKYOU. Dorosh has drawn on earlier experience in project management, stakeholder engagement, communications, and fundraising, including work connected to the Chernivtsi City Council, to build partnerships and expand practical support for vulnerable children in Ukraine.
By Scott Douglas Jacobsenabout 7 hours ago in Families
Marriage
How Losing Everything Revealed What We Actually Had THE MORNING WE LOST IT ALL š The phone call came at 7:43 AM on a Wednesday morning while my husband Robert and I were eating breakfast with our two children who were arguing about whose turn it was to use the iPad, and the normalcy of this scene, the cereal bowls and the sibling bickering and the coffee growing cold while I refereed, made what followed feel like it was happening to someone else in a movie I was watching rather than in my actual kitchen in my actual life, because Robert's business partner called to inform him that their construction company was insolvent, that the bank was calling their loans immediately, that their largest client had filed a lawsuit for breach of contract, and that the personal guarantees Robert had signed on the business loans meant that our family was liable for approximately 1.7 million dollars in debt that the company could not pay, and in the approximately four minutes of that phone call our financial life which had been comfortable and secure and built on fifteen years of hard work and careful planning collapsed into a crater so deep that climbing out seemed not just difficult but genuinely impossible šš°
By The Curious Writerabout 15 hours ago in Families
The Voicemail My Son Left
Seven Words That Became My Reason to Breathe THE MESSAGE I ALMOST DELETED š¢ My son Marcus left for his second deployment to Afghanistan on a Tuesday morning in March, and somewhere between the airport and the military transport that would carry him into a war zone he called my phone knowing I would not answer because I had told him the night before that I could not bear to say goodbye again because the first deployment had nearly destroyed me and I did not have the emotional reserves for another farewell that might be the last, and so he called knowing the call would go to voicemail and he left a message that I did not listen to for three days because seeing his name on my missed calls made my chest constrict with the specific dread that military families carry constantly, the awareness that every phone call could be the one that changes everything, and when I finally gathered the courage to press play his voice filled my kitchen with seven words that became the most important sentence I have ever heard: "Mom, I'm brave because you were first" š
By The Curious Writera day ago in Families
Easter in the Mountains
When I was growing up in the mountains of western North Carolina, Easter came along with a promise that things were about to feel a little brighter, if only for a while. We didnāt have much in those days, and everybody knew it, but somehow Easter had a way of making you forget all that. For one Sunday out of the year, we felt like the richest people in all of Appalachia.
By Tim Carmichael2 days ago in Families
Why Good Intentions Make a Bad Legal Standard
Why Law Reaches for Intent in the First Place Legal systems lean toward intent because it feels humane. Motive appears to reveal character, and character feels like a stable guide for judgment. In emotionally charged domains like parenting and custody, intent offers something comforting: the belief that outcomes can be understood, and even forgiven, by examining what someone meant to do. Courts frequently ask whether a parent acted out of love, fear, confusion, or malice, as though the answer to that question can reliably predict what the child will experience over time.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast4 days ago in Families
What Does it Take to Successfully Reconcile with Your Estranged Adult Child?
A young woman who is estranged from her mom asked the Reddit community if it was possible to reconnect. Most said absolutely, yes. But the road to reconciliation is a lot of work. In fact one user couldnāt believe she was standing with her mother in the kitchen making coffee. Two years ago, that wasnāt even a possibility.
By Marie Dubuque7 days ago in Families
Is Pineapple Juice Good for Health? The Truth You Need to Know. AI-Generated.
Pineapple juice is a tropical favorite known for its sweet, tangy flavor and refreshing appeal. Packed with nutrients and often associated with wellness trends, it has become a popular addition to many diets. But the real question people ask is: is pineapple juice good for health? The answer is not as simple as it seems, as it depends on how itās consumed and in what quantity.
By Joe Jackson11 days ago in Families
Beloved
Flowers cascade down the aisles of a quiet church, the pews filled with friends and loves ones. At the alter stand the largest of the arrangements, fragrant flowers wafting their perfume, through the chapel, certain to create and evoke scent memories in future recollections of this day. The parishioners file in and will soon file out, with whispers of, āIt was a beautiful service,ā āThe flowers were so lovely,ā and āIām sorry for their loss. His passing was long in coming, but so sudden.ā
By Alexandra Grant13 days ago in Families
What Judges Consider When Approving Parenting Plans in Florida
In Florida, parenting plans are a required part of any case involving minor children, whether the parents are divorcing or were never married. A parenting plan outlines how parents will share responsibilities and time with their children. Before a plan becomes enforceable, it must be approved by a judge who evaluates whether it serves the childās best interests. Understanding what judges look for when reviewing parenting plans can help parents create arrangements that are more likely to be approved and that provide stability for their children.
By Grant Gisondo14 days ago in Families
