Well hello hello! Welcome to the Weekend Reads Special Edition: 2014 Grounded Parents Year in Review. In true parenting style (at least my parenting style) I managed to put this up well after I meant to. Kind of like how all my Christmas cards become Valentine’s Day cards. Doing stuff’s tough.
Anyway, this week is a little different. All the links below are call backs to things my fellow bloggers posted this year: posts that amused, stirred things up, or posts we were particularly proud to write. So here we are, for your viewing pleasure:
If you’re looking for….a post that is the definitive drop the mic guide to finding an alternative to the Boy Scouts:
Try Ethical and Inclusive Scouting by Lance.
If you’re looking for….a complete destruction of a meme that totally had it coming:
Lou took on a lot of memes this year in his Demolition Derby, but I particularly enjoyed Childhood is not a Disease.
If you’re looking for….a post with a headline that will make you wince and laugh and relate all at once:
Find out how Melanie’s 3 year old learned about anal bleaching. You’ll wince, laugh and relate all over again.
If you’re looking for….a raw take on abuse and escape.
Try Tori’s piece on her own experiences with surviving and leaving an abusive relationship. Sad and hopeful.
If you’re looking for….a funny take on ear wax:
Try Mombot’s “I am a Flaming Idiot“. Who wouldn’t want to read a story that ends with “For now, at least I don’t look like a complete moron with a lit candle in my ear”?
If you’re looking for….some controversy:
Jaime stirred some up when she took on Homebirth and Safety Risk. If we had a more commented on article, I couldn’t find it.
If you’re looking for….a non-binary pregnancy:
Tif has a take here. I haven’t stopped thinking about this one since I read it.
If you’re looking for….hope for the anti-vax:
Lisa’s story of going from one side to the other should give us all hope.
If you’re looking for….what was I looking for again?
Mary takes on the science of “baby brain”.
If you’re looking for….advice Emily Post couldn’t give you:
Deek’s advice about what not to say to the parents of a preemie is great advice.
If you’re looking for….a reason to hit your kid:
Delagar takes a good look at the options.
If you’re looking for….an atheist take on celebration:
Jenny let us know about her family’s atheist Rosh Hashanah.
If you’re looking for….an atheist take on who your child marries:
Emily is not praying for you, and that’s okay. A great counterpoint to Christian culture.
If you’re looking for….a message that needs to be heard:
Jay wrote a touching a brave piece about parenting with mental illness. We don’t have to be perfect, but we do have to know when to get help.
If you’re looking for….a bit of a fail:
Chris delights in your pigeonholing fail. This one made me laugh, in part because I got yelled at once for dressing my then infant son in purple. Apparently that’s “confusing”.
If you’re looking for….some pop culture fail:
Steph’s take on popular songs and parenting is….well lets just say I still think “macaw!” when I hear Jessie J come on the radio.
If you’re looking for….some info on OCD:
Kavin hooks you up.
If you’re looking for….a reason to get mad at Bath and Body Works:
Why on earth are they kicking people out of their store? Katiea gives a good rant.
If you’re looking for….a story that will stick with you:
Cassandra wrote an amazing piece about love, loss and moving on.
If you’re looking for….a time you wished you believed in heaven:
Angela wrote this amazing piece on why her baby isn’t in heaven. Sad and thoughtful.
If you’re looking for….some discussion of vaccines (and what good skeptic isn’t?):
Erich wrote a good piece on what should and what shouldn’t be on the table during vaccine debates.
If you’re looking for….a discussion of working parents:
brionybrains had a good take on what the social model of disability can tell us about working parents.
If you’re looking for….dinosaur diorama drama :
Daisy has some. Who doesn’t love a good dino drama?
If you’re looking for….someone who’s not mom:
I could keep going all day, but I’m going to put this up while it’s still January. My cobloggers and I ultimately published about 500 pieces in 2014, so obviously this list is far from definitive. There were tons of amazing posts, and I definitely didn’t catch them all. Let me know in the comments….what stuck out to you this year????
Featured Image: Wordle.net cloud of most commonly used words on Grounded Parents.
