When a child is scared, it’s natural for a parent to feel helpless. Childhood fears and specific phobias aren’t always rational, so you can’t just reason them away by saying, for example, “Only seven Americans die from spider bites every year,” or “Sweetie, there are zero monsters under your bed.”…
Mental health advice on the Internet often boils down to a few general teachings about emotional regulation. We’re encouraged to learn coping skills and strategies for dealing with stress. We’re supposed to become more resilient in the face of adversity. We’re meant to manage our negative feelings in healthier ways….
The Russia-Ukraine conflict — one of the biggest news stories of the year thus far — continues on without an end in sight. As a result, some difficult changes are occurring here in the US, including the cost of living, our diplomatic relationships with other countries, and (most personally), our…
Do you remember the last time you rode a roller coaster? Unfortunately for me, it has been over 20 years. I have developed vertigo as I have gotten older, and I’m scared to go on one now. However, I can still remember the nervous butterflies as the ride creaked higher…
In case you missed it, there’s a place on the internet called r/AmItheA**hole (AITA) which aims to determine which party should be blamed in ethical disputes. For example, someone posts the following (paraphrased) moral quandary on Reddit’s AITA forum: “My friend’s baby was crying, so I gave her a sip…
Buena Vista is as nice a neighborhood as you could imagine: Proper houses trimmed in white, all lined up in neat rows. It’s a labyrinth of new pavement and landscaping, baking underneath the Texas sun. Somewhere, the sounds of a lawnmower swirl together with a dog barking and a child’s…
For the seventh time this morning, I ogle at my wrist, shuffling through the features on my smartwatch until I can see my heart rate. It’s bumping along at a cool 102 bpm. I’m sweating slightly, nervously tapping my foot against the carpet. Whether it’s from this third cup of…
What memories are at the forefront when you think back on your pandemic year? Maybe you really got into home workouts, started to bake bread, and found some deep cuts on Netflix you’d never have discovered otherwise. In some ways, maybe it wasn’t so bad for you. But for many…
When Megan Thee Stallion released her feminist rap anthem “Hot Girl Summer” in summer 2019, she couldn’t have anticipated what it would mean for us in summer 2021. We’ve all suffered a year plus of trauma and isolation. This time around the sun, your seasonal makeover will have to go…
Today was hard. Hardest day so far. This virtual teaching is so hard. You feel like you’re failing at your job because nothing is easy or smooth, and nothing works like it’s supposed to work. And you feel like you’re failing your family because of the non-stop working and troubleshooting.”…
