It was Tuesday morning and the sun was beaming beautifully with only a few clouds in sight. I couldn’t picture a more perfect day. Looking around my classroom, I could tell most of the children in my preschool class were cheerful, enjoying the...
Call On Me: Speaking Up and Sharing Your Story
A Creative Essay about our Class Trip to Toledo Museum of Art by Kayla, Fifth Grade “Welcome students,” says the museum docent to the twenty-one students of our fifth grade class. “What is a story?” she asks, and it’s no surprise that no one’s...
A Better Way: Living Healthy through Reading
Keeping a consistent schedule as a single dad can be really tough. Since my wife died, my morning routine has actually stayed pretty consistent. Every day I get up before Harrison and check my blood sugar levels. I drink a tall glass...
Waiting by the Window: Building a Child’s Love for Reading
Jacob burst through the back door and ran past me into the living room. He jumped onto the couch and looked out the window at the street beyond. “Is it here? Did it come?” he asked. “Did what come?” I said with a sly...
A Mother’s Dream: Removing the Burden of Costly Childcare
“I had a good dream last night,” I said, looking in the rearview mirror at Alex. He was strapped into his car seat, staring out the window. When he heard my voice, he looked up at me, as I broke his sleepy,...
Standing Up: Keeping a Promise and Being a Leader
I’m a Girl Scout, or, as we say when in meetings: a G.I.R.L. — Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader. I’ve said this phrase over and over again, but never realized the impact of these words until the day I met Marah. Marah started at...
A Place to Belong: The Impact of Affordable, High-Quality Childcare
Walking through the doors of my daughters’ school, I felt butterflies in my stomach. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Until this moment, I had been a stay-at-home mom to my daughters Sydney and Ella*. Lately though, my husband had been working fewer...
When Dreams Collide: Exploring Career Possibilities
“Kelsey*, come check this out!” I heard my friend Lindsay* shout from across the room. She was sitting in front of a computerized flight simulator. Learn how to fly here! said the sign next to the table. It was one of several...
Rough Waters: Navigating Life’s Challenges to Keep Families Connected
Pulling into the parking lot at Joyful Connections, I remember the last time we were here. It was about a year ago, just before my fifteenth birthday. I had been sitting on a couch in a space meant to look like a living...
An Early Arrival: Pacing Hospital Rooms to Playing at the Park
“Ethan*, Ethan, Ethan.” With my hand pressed against the little plastic box he was enclosed in, I couldn’t help but whisper his name over and over again. I remember being in complete disbelief as I rushed Angela*, my wife, to the hospital. In...