Sally Field is interviewed in the March (2009) issue of Good Housekeeping. Maybe it’s silly of me, but the most fascinating part was this passage in the beginning about her “beloved brood”: It includes her three grown sons–Sam, her baby, will be home from college, where he is already a junior (”How can that be?” asks his mother incredulously)– and the three adored grandchildren she babysits for often. “And my sister and my niece, and my mother… oh, and one of my daughter-in-law’s parents.” I’m not absolutely sure I’m reading that right; it sure is a poorly constructed bit of writing, so shame on you, Jenny Allen. But if I am reading that right, Sally Field has caretaker... [Read more]

From Chloe Jo’s GirlieGirlArmy newsletter: Hannah Emmerich (hannah.emmerich@gmail.com) is trying to round up a few women who experienced postpartum depression who would be willing to share their story with her and her research partner for their thesis project in the MSW program at Hunter College in NY. A lot of the studies about this are more quantitative, empirical studies, and Hannah feels they leave out what women actually go through after birth. So with that in mind they want to hear, first hand, what women experienced and what they wish they would have had in terms of support, services, treatment, etc. They will relate this information to current practices and make clinical and policy recommendations for treatment of PPD that are... [Read more]

Everyone’s talking about Marian Robinson, President Obama’s mother-in-law, living in the White House. Most make jokes, but I’m with Liz Smith and Craig Wilson; we believe that Robinson’s presence is a good one for the family. We’re not alone. According to an interview with Edmund Leach published in the July 1974 issue of Psychology Today (People Plan Their Lives In Terms Of Imaginary Systems: Nobody Lives In The Real Word, Elizabeth Hall), “we have made our life very, very difficult by constructing a physical environment that is so inhospitable to the three-generation family.” Some selected quotes from that article: Hall: …Some commentators have charged that the nuclear family is unhealthy. Leach:... [Read more]

A cool post at TwitterMoms: Are you looking for a unique Valentines? Instead of sending $15 worth of chocolate to your lover’s thighs this Valentine’s Day, Julie Roads is inviting you to support your fellow countrymen — many who are currently out of work — by downloading The LOVE ebook and making a donation to Career Gear, a national non-profit that supports men, and their families, who are looking for employment. The LOVE ebook is filled with poems, photographs and artwork – all love-inspired – that aim to spread some good vibes this Valentine’s Day. The idea behind the LOVE ebook is twofold – first to spread some happiness and positivity and, at the same time, make a difference for people struggling with... [Read more]

In the March (2009) issue of Good Housekeeping, there’s an article by Amanda Robb called “Siblings Of A Sort” on the amazing story of Glenda and Scott Lyons. They’re the couple with four children who donated/adopted their embryos to another couple, Susan and Bruce Lindeman — and then again to Dana and Cliff MacMillan. In total, there are seven children biological Lyons children, but the remarkable thing is that they hold family reunions of a sort… all gathering together, sharing the children — and yes, the children know. The Lyons say the children they’ve gifted the Lindemans and MacMillans with feel like “nieces and nephews” to them, but “all the grandparents lay claim to every... [Read more]