12 Comments
User's avatar
Gina Dalfonzo's avatar

Ruth's awesome. I'm so glad you were able to work with her. And she gave you great advice. (Says this person whom publishers despair of being able to pigeonhole. 😄 )

Expand full comment
Alexandria Faulkenbury's avatar

Loved this post and the 5 buckets idea

Expand full comment
Jill's avatar

Keep writing- it’s refreshing to see the everyday moments captured by you.

Expand full comment
Joelle Lewis's avatar

I thought you were going to say the 17MO ran out naked, because that has happened here 😂😂

Expand full comment
Abigail's avatar

This is true for me too. And very freeing! I have the same fears.

Subscribing!! :)

Expand full comment
AJ Harbison's avatar

I enjoy your writing so much, in all buckets! As a parent of older kids (11 and 6), I enjoy remembering the absurdity and hilarity of the younger years (as well as the difficulties), and the way you write about them is always a delight. And you truly have a gift that not everyone has to write equally well about silly, funny things and deep, important things. Please do keep it up. :)

Expand full comment
Stephen May's avatar

That overall description really does fit, and highlights why I so enjoy your writing.

Expand full comment
Lapachet’75's avatar

As an “experienced” mother and a relatively “inexperienced” grandmother, I enjoy your blog. My brain didn’t stop when I became a mother; in fact, it expanded as I followed the interests of my children and we explored the world together.

And you are correct: a 17-month-old is a different being than a one-year-old. In fact, a four-year-old is different than a thee-and-a-half year-old and a four-and-half-year-old. A lot of growing happens during those six months!

Expand full comment
Ruth's avatar

YESSSSSSSS

Expand full comment
Thomas Gormley's avatar

Five buckets sounds like a solid plan. It’s a mix of the late Jeanne Robertson with a very welcome literary twist. Thanks for brightening my day as I hear your voice reading these essays.

Expand full comment
Jeannie Prinsen's avatar

I like the 5 buckets idea – in fact I already subscribe to it! Except it's 4: my Substack tagline is "Family, faith, reading, writing ... all that good stuff." I think pretty much everything I write fits one of those categories. Your blog has a nice mix and I'm always interested in whatever you write!

Expand full comment
Beccy's avatar

Oh the five buckets thing is helpful! I think I would define my five buckets as books, history, faith, parenting and mental health - which all feel disconnected but maybe aren't? I love where we overlap in interests and where we differ - here's to the years of writing short form through the chaos of parenting!

Expand full comment