Tag Archives: parenting
My Mother’s Charms
When I was 8, my parents’ arranged marriage dissolved. My mother, Mei-Lin, moved to California and into the background of my life. When I was 32, she died of lung cancer, two days before Mother’s Day. Never a smoker, but … Continue reading
Mother’s Wisdom
Run for Him
I was a preemie, born 14 weeks too soon. Doctors said I might never walk. Every day, my grandfather held me in the NICU, whispering, “Be a fighter.” Thirty years later, when he learned he had cancer, I signed up … Continue reading
No Hugs, Please
I identified with the question from “No Hugs, Please!” When I was a kid, we had an uncle who made me uncomfortable with his insistence on hugging the kids in the family. I’m not saying he was a creep, but … Continue reading
Chef Tales
I was cooking once and had some powdered turmeric on the counter. My young son asked me why I was putting ‘cheese’ in the dish. That was the moment I realized I’d served him Kraft mac ‘n’ cheese one too … Continue reading
Real Life of an MSW 