“Between the opening credits and the 3 a.m. feedings, as I watched films in 20-minute increments, something profound happened.”
parenthood
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Recommending stories from Archie Bland, Elizabeth Bruenig, Anat Rubin, Dexter Thomas, and Elena Gosalvez Blanco.
The Boy Who Came Back: The Near-Death, and Changed Life, of My Son Max
“It was, we were told, a case of sudden infant death syndrome interrupted. What followed would transform my understanding of parenting, disability and the breadth of what makes a meaningful life.”
An I.V.F. Mix-Up, a Shocking Discovery and an Unbearable Choice
“Two couples in California discovered they were raising each other’s genetic children. Should they switch their girls?”
Every Day I Worry My Kids Will Be Killed at School
“’Will I be okay?’ my children ask me as the mass shootings in America continue. None of us like my answer.”
The Struggle of Having a Pandemic Baby
Giving birth in the last year has meant a suffocatingly cloistered, rather than a communal, experience.
Since I Became Symptomatic
A month after filing for divorce, single mom Leslie Jamison contracted COVID-19. She wrote this meditation on single parenthood, loneliness, longing, and frustration while sheltering in place — and sweating out the virus — with her 2-year-old daughter.
Sit Back, Relax, and Try Not To Think About the Hole We’re Making In Your Skull
You can understand how the dura mater connects to the arachnoid mater, but that doesn’t mean you understand the mind.
Airbrushing Out the Evidence of Her Son’s Differences
Are you really achieving representation for your child with special needs if you’re only sharing the upbeat, attractive photos on social media?
Why I Discuss My Son’s Autism on Social Media
A personal essay in which Alysia Abbott writes about the importance of presenting her autistic son on social media — fostering inclusiveness, normalizing his differences, connecting with other parents with similar children — and confesses her tendency to often only show him in the most flattering light.
