by Lisa-Jo | Jan 29, 2015 | Kids, Motherhood, Raising Boys, South Africa, Take Action
He holds his heart as we wait at the red line in the immigration queue. His face has a puzzled look. Passports slide back our way and we crane necks for one last look, one wave, one jump up and down and blowing of last kisses. Then with heavy back packs we start the...
by Lisa-Jo | Sep 9, 2014 | (in)courage, Just plain hard, Rabid fear of parenting, Raising Boys
He stares at me from the back seat with eyes hot, red, determined, defiant and desperate to be understood. I stare at him through the rear view mirror with eyes that echo his own blue exactly and match his mood perfectly. I am just as angry as he is. The only...
by Lisa-Jo | Jun 3, 2014 | Motherhood, Rabid fear of parenting, Raising Boys
After, “I love you,” the words “I’m sorry” might be the most important ones we say to our kids. Much harder to say, though. Because people don’t like to be wrong and parents especially are used to being right. I’ve never been...
![When parenting looks like a 5K race]()
by Lisa-Jo | May 18, 2014 | Motherhood, Raising Boys
He ran next to me the whole time. And I was ashamed I couldn’t run as fast as him. He’s eight and I’ll be 40 this August. And I watched him choose. He could have run fast and far up ahead where his friends were, where the best times were, where the winners were. But...
by Lisa-Jo | Mar 24, 2014 | Just plain hard, Rabid fear of parenting, Raising Boys, surprised by motherhood
There are frayed edges of motherhood that aren’t often talked about. Those places where we’re holding onto our temper with one hand and the belief that things have got to get better eventually with the other. One night that place rocks me hard as I rock my...
by Lisa-Jo | Jan 8, 2014 | Cheering for you, Motherhood, Ordinary Glory, Raising Boys
Son, here’s the thing. Sometimes come 9pm mama is just flat out done. So when you peer down from that top bunk bed eye to eye with me and question the end of your day with the everlasting, “but whyyyyy?,” a small world flashes before my eyes....
