| No Images? Click here  My older son is having a playdate soon at a friend’s house he’s never been to before. I’ve met the parents, who seem lovely, not that that really matters here, but I’ve never been to their home. Since this is the first time my son has gone to an unknown home for a playdate, I decided the prudent thing would be to ask this boy’s mom if they had guns in the home.It wasn’t easy to muster up what felt like courage to ask the question that should, in reality, be among the top three questions you ask before your child goes to play at someone else’s home. I read — and to be honest, re-read — this piece a few times to make sure the structure of my question was kind and unimposing enough. I was nervous, as I suspect I will be the next time I have to ask this question again.So I buffered my question via email with an “I know this might be uncomfortable, but I feel I have to ask it.” I was worried about judgment and guilt and awkwardness, for both of us. I was worried I just messed something up for my son and his new friend. It’s a loaded question, pun not intended, after all. Thankfully, this mom wrote back that not only did they not have guns in the home but she understood why I was asking. I sighed a big breath of relief. Not only had I not made her so uncomfortable she never wrote back (a fear I had at one point during the day), but she understood where I was coming from. And that’s all we ever want as parents: to be understood where we’re coming from.All this to say, this is a tough one in ways it really shouldn’t be — after all, many of us ask if kids have allergies before a playdate. In the end, I’m thankful it turned out well, and hope my experience can provide some encouragement to others down the line. And remember: as a parent, you have every right to trust your gut and do what you think is right for your kid.
Accurate  The funniest tweets from parents in 2018. Because parenting isn’t funny unless it’s put in a tweet.ICYMI  ICYMI, these were the best children’s books — from board books to YA — of 2018, at least according to librarians we spoke with across the country.For when your kid is keeping you awake I finished Kim Brooks’ masterful book, Small Animals: Parenthood In The Age Of Fear, in roughly 24 hours. I simply couldn’t put it down. Part memoir, part reporting, she tells her personal confrontation with a controversial decision, its aftermath and how it plays into our generally broken culture of parenthood, motherhood in particular, in the United States. More stories from the trenches:  HuffPost is now a part of Oath and a part of Verizon. On May 25, 2018 we introduced a new Oath Privacy Policy which will explain how your data is used and shared. Learn More.A guide to helping you raise the kind of person you'd like to know. Love what you see? Send it to a friend. Did someone forward this email? If so, subscribe here. Can't get enough? Check out (In)formation and The Good Life. |
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