extended family

All about how to stay connected, strengthen ties and talk politics with your big, happy extended family.

Between the Blessing and the Feast
November 23, 2017 was the day I turned 32 as a married Army wife who was 9 weeks pregnant, with an already 15-month-old daughter. As it was also Thanksgiving, join me, as we walk through that day from waking up famished to feasting and all of the surprises that happened in between.
By Ash Ylvisaker4 months ago in Families
When you fall in love, you lose an average of two close friends. AI-Generated.
The Lonely Side of Love: Why Falling in Love Costs You an Average of Two Close Friends Picture this. You meet someone special. Your days fill with texts, dates, and endless talks. Then, poof—your phone goes quiet with old friends. That group chat? It fades. Why? New love grabs your full attention. You might not notice at first.
By Story silver book 4 months ago in Families
Digital Ghosts: When Your Smartphone Knows You Better Than Your Partner. AI-Generated.
We are being haunted by friendly ghosts. They live in our pockets, on our desks, in our living rooms. These ghosts don’t rattle chains; they whisper perfect recommendations. They don’t chill the air; they curate a climate of flawless understanding. Your streaming service suggests the next show you’ll love before the credits roll. Your music app divines your afternoon mood and builds a playlist to match. Your shopping app shows you the jacket you were just thinking about. This is the age of the Algorithmic Intimate—a silent, omnipresent entity that studies the breadcrumbs of your digital life and offers a mirror of your desires so precise, it feels like companionship. But this is a phantom relationship, a one-way street of data extraction masquerading as empathy, and it is quietly raising the bar for human connection to an impossible height.
By HAADI4 months ago in Families
When family toxicity delays dreams
Many psychologists and educational_studies researchers confirm that too many experience in silence: a toxic family environment,even if just "family" can seriously delays a young people's dreams and personal growth.
By CIM4 months ago in Families
Holiday Blues
Why do so many seem to get so sad or even depressed during the holidays? Aside from the obvious recent loss of a life or relationship, seemingly happy and contented people still find themselves getting the holiday blues.
By Alexandra Grant4 months ago in Families
He Love His Mother So Much— He Choose Women Like Her
I didn’t know my father’s mother, but I learn about her from the lives, living, and personalities of the four women my father fell in love with.
By Annelise Lords 4 months ago in Families
The first anniversary of the loss of my mom
December 2nd, 2025, marks the official first anniversary of my mother's passing. It has been A bit of a rough journey. Still, I was able to get by with my husband's and my daughter's help. Still, mostly I was helped by the grace of God. I'm happy to say my mom is there with him, as well as with my dad, my father passed away in 2017 of heart failure.
By stephanie borges4 months ago in Families
When Dinner Turns Into a Comedy Show: Family Edition
Imagine this: the table is set, the food smells heavenly, everyone finally sits down… and within 14 seconds, the whole scene slips into delightful, unplanned, heartfelt absurdity. If your family dinners feel less like a serene magazine spread and more like a sitcom filmed in real time, congratulations—your household is officially alive and thriving.
By Magify944 months ago in Families
What Is the Hero Instinct in Men?
Let me tell you the truth. This "hero feeling" that men have isn't created in some grand moment. It comes from small childhood habits that we never understand, but they linger inside. There wasn't anything special in my house; it just happened that if something small got stuck, something needed to be picked up, or a screw came loose, people would look at me. No one taught me by saying, "You're responsible," but the tone was, "You'll do it, right?"
By Brooks Ghost Max 4 months ago in Families
When the Lake Spoke My Father’s Name
I hadn't been back to my father's house in months. After the funeral, I told myself I needed time, space, anything that didn't remind me of hospital rooms and legal documents. So I avoided the place altogether, even though he'd lived there for twenty-seven years, and even though every good childhood memory I had was tied to the lake behind it.
By iftikhar Ahmad4 months ago in Families
When Real Love feels to Much: Learning to Receive After Being Conditioned by Pain
There was a time in my life when I believed that love meant surviving. I thought love was something that you had to earn by being quiet enough, Pleasing enough, useful enough. I thought love was accepting whatever was given, even when it hurt, as long as it meant you weren't alone.
By CIM4 months ago in Families
A Multitude of Blessings
Today was Thanksgiving here in the United States. I am nestled in tonight in a warm home with heat, two adorable children who got to spend the day with their Mommy, and my boyfriend. I have had a lot of things lately that I am not exactly thankful for, but I wanted to take a moment to count my blessings.
By The Schizophrenic Mom4 months ago in Families