Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Easter in the Mountains
When I was growing up in the mountains of western North Carolina, Easter came along with a promise that things were about to feel a little brighter, if only for a while. We didn’t have much in those days, and everybody knew it, but somehow Easter had a way of making you forget all that. For one Sunday out of the year, we felt like the richest people in all of Appalachia.
By Tim Carmichaelabout 3 hours ago in Families
Helen Morgan Story: The Rise, Fall, and Legacy of Jazz’s First Torch Singer. AI-Generated.
Before Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, or Frank Sinatra dominated the microphone, there was Helen Morgan. Known as the original “torch singer,” Morgan’s haunting voice and raw emotional delivery captivated 1920s and ’30s audiences.
By Kashif Hayata day ago in Families
Why Good Intentions Make a Bad Legal Standard
Why Law Reaches for Intent in the First Place Legal systems lean toward intent because it feels humane. Motive appears to reveal character, and character feels like a stable guide for judgment. In emotionally charged domains like parenting and custody, intent offers something comforting: the belief that outcomes can be understood, and even forgiven, by examining what someone meant to do. Courts frequently ask whether a parent acted out of love, fear, confusion, or malice, as though the answer to that question can reliably predict what the child will experience over time.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcasta day ago in Families
The Celestial Sea Voyages
The Laird of the household is an ebullient, eternally youthful and generous man. As a young boy he excelled in all sports -- and still does -- especially rugby. He grasps every chance to participate in anything sporty with a single-mindedness that leaves everyone else literally ‘holding the baby’. He is of solid build and medium height; a true Celt with his auburn hair and trim beard, often to be found wearing eccentric, tartan trews and funny hats with an extremely obedient spaniel by his side. He is a much-loved character and tends to take centre stage, needing high accolade from the immediate community for his sense of identity and self-esteem. He possesses a remarkable energy, matched only by a surprising ability to switch off completely. I often tease him about his lack of ‘middle mode.’ I sometimes wonder if this extreme pace indicates a reluctance to face deeper issues. His ability to endlessly talk and prove his point of view gives him a big advantage over his students but can come across as over-bearing and bull-headed amongst his peers, especially those of the female gender. This side of his character is gaining strength as he matures, to the point where even I find it difficult to put across any opinion. This developing trait is giving me some concern for the future. I hope a degree of humility and a softer edge might appear with a move to the other side of the world.
By Marina de Nadous2 days ago in Families
The Wrong Number
A Midnight Text to a Stranger Became the Greatest Love Story I'll Ever Tell THE ACCIDENTAL MESSAGE At 11:47 PM on a Friday night in November, Sophie Chen was sitting alone in her apartment eating cold pizza and drinking wine and feeling the particular loneliness that comes from being surrounded by photographs of a relationship that ended six weeks ago but that she had not yet removed from the walls because taking them down would require admitting that the relationship was really over rather than just paused, and in a moment of wine-fueled vulnerability she picked up her phone and typed a message to her best friend Mia that said "I think I'm going to be alone forever and I'm not even sad about it anymore I'm just tired of hoping" and pressed send without checking the number, and the message went not to Mia but to a stranger whose number differed from Mia's by a single digit, and this mundane error, a thumb landing on seven instead of eight, set in motion a chain of events that would fundamentally alter the trajectory of two lives that had no reason to intersect and that would never have connected through any conventional means.
By The Curious Writer3 days ago in Families
Professor Carlton Jama Adams and the Lasting Impact of Routine on Child Development. AI-Generated.
Professor Carlton Jama Adams is a licensed clinical psychologist and professor of psychology whose work centers on family systems and child development. His academic and professional experience reflects a deep focus on how parenting practices shape long-term outcomes for children. Through his teaching in areas such as human services, community justice, and the psychology of oppression and liberation, he offers a well-rounded perspective on the environments children grow up in. His approach often highlights the importance of consistency, emotional awareness, and structure as key elements in supporting healthy development.
By Carlton Adams3 days ago in Families
Assisted Living in Brookings vs Nursing Homes: Understanding the Differences
The decision of the appropriate care to be taken to an aging loved one is never simple. Families have a tendency of comparing various alternatives, particularly assisted living in Brookings and nursing homes. They do not serve the same needs, although they are both supportive and caring. The knowledge of these differences would enable you to make an informed and confident decision.
By Patrica Overton3 days ago in Families
A Parent Who Didn’t Know What to Expect From a CAFCASS Call
I kept checking my phone even when it wasn't ringing. That particular kind of anxiety, the one that makes you pick up your mobile mid-sentence while someone's talking to you, the one that made me sleep badly for a week, was all because of one scheduled call from a CAFCASS officer.
By Family Law Service3 days ago in Families
