Tag Archives: normal

Resist the Urge to Think Things Are NOT Normal

I think we live in a time where just about everything can be considered a “problem”—when it comes to our children’s behaviors, it is hard enough to know what is typical, what they will outgrow, and what we should worry about. Before you panic and assume that things are abnormal, it might be a better idea to assume things are normal—until proven otherwise. Of course, my usual disclaimer is that I am NOT a psychologist or an official parenting expert and most of my philosophies are based on anecdotal experience, but I have found that most things really are normal … Continue reading →

Allowing Things to Be “Normal”

Sometimes I think the only thing that separates what is “normal” from what is not, is our own personal belief systems around things. I don’t mean to sound like an anthropologist here, but as single parents, we may be holding up the “normalization” of our single parent families with our own belief systems. Maybe if we let go of antiquated ideas or trying to fit into a perfect “Brady Bunch” mold, we can allow our families and our lives to be more normal. Who decides what is normal and what is not? Well, we can blame “society” or the “media” … Continue reading →

Controversy Over What is a “Healthy” Family

There is a lot of talk about what makes for a “healthy” family and what “healthy” relationships look like. We talk about it here in the single parenting blog too, trying to sort out what a healthy parent-child relationship looks like and what healthy dating might entail for a single parent. One thing I have learned is that it depends on where you read and who you ask and you get very different ideas and opinion about what is “healthy.” What is a “healthy” relationship? And, for that matter, what is a “healthy” family? I think that the evolution of … Continue reading →

Overheard From a New Mother on Line: “When Is My Life Supposed to Return to Normal?”

I wanted to interrupt. I wanted to step in like some bossy, snoopy, old Mrs. Kravitz (the nosey neighbor on “Bewitched”) and tell this sweet young mother that her life was NOT going to return to any old version of normal—instead, parenthood was going to bring constantly changing, newer and newer, unpredictable versions of normal… But who am I to offer unsolicited advice, really? I still wonder what my life will be like in a few years when my kids have all flown the coop, what things might have been like had they turned out differently, and what grown up … Continue reading →