Yesterday morning the girls had an appointment to get approved for Global Entry. Kevin and I figured we should both be there to present the kids officially, but we took separate cars so he could head to work immediately afterward. It had been raining all morning, and as the...
Little Panic: What I Learned From One Author’s Childhood Anxiety
As a person who has anxiety, I eagerly dived into Amanda Stern’s new book, Little Panic: Dispatches From An Anxious Life. The book recounts Stern’s earliest childhood experiences with severe anxiety and traces these emotions and their impact into adulthood. Growing up in New York City’s Greenwich Village, Stern...
When Words Sting, Sometimes Action Is the Best Remedy
“You’re seven? But you’re so small!!” I hold back a grimace. My daughters and I are at a trampoline park, and the employee handing them their wristbands has just asked their ages. Somehow, I know from the instant that my daughter says proudly, “I’m seven!” that an incredulous reaction...
On Being a Reformed Germaphobe
Growing up, I never worried much about germs. Thanks to the many pets we owned over the years, my childhood home was basically a deluxe buffet of microbes for my immune system. At any given time, there was a bird squawking from its perch, a bunny in the side...
Background Noise: I’m Afraid of Silence
When I was in 8th grade, our class practiced a daily moment of silence. It was a simple exercise, but one I nearly always failed. Our teacher would nod and point to the clock, indicating it was time for us to sit calmly at our desks. Some of my...