Rolling with the Good Times: Navigating Baton Rouge’s Mardi Gras with Kids
by Ellen Mecholsky on
When my husband and I moved to Baton Rouge, we had absolutely no idea about Mardi Gras. I mean, sure, we had heard of “Fat Tuesday” and had the vague sense that beads were involved, but the Louisiana Mardi Gras EXPERIENCE was a complete unknown. That... Read full article
It’s Hot, Baby! Keeping Little Ones Safe in the Heat
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Louisiana summers offer a unique sort of heat. And when it comes to babies, it can be downright dangerous. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), excessive heat poses the greatest danger to infants and children up to four years old.... Read full article
Teen Suicide: Personal Essay from a Teenager
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My 13-year-old cousin, Kora, passed away on January 24, 2020 due to suicide. She was found by her family when they went to make sure she was up for school. She was on life support for a few days and then her organs were donated. This is my letter to ... Read full article
The Motivation Struggle
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I think back on my own life and all of the things I thought I wanted to do…and you know what? The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. So, how in the world do I motivate my kid to stick to something when I’m not sure I can do that for myself?... Read full article
Slowing Down: Reclaiming Sanity
by Cheryl Brodnax on
So, I have a problem with over-commitment. It seems that any time there is white space on my calendar, I find some excuse to fill it. My husband often points out that I never just sit. What? Who doesn’t sit?... Read full article
Life After Suicide Loss
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First Things First… Grieving is a process. You never “get over it.” You learn to face each day as a new day in your journey of surviving a suicide loss. People grieve in many different ways, but we all grieve in our own way and on our own schedule. ... Read full article
I Smell Crawfish!
by Amy Delaney on
You never realize just how quiet winter is until the birds start chirping and squawking on the first days of spring. Recently, I had a similar experience when I smelled a familiar aroma floating over the fence in my neighborhood. Someone was boiling ... Read full article
Living in Quarantine: The After Effects
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In order to escape the Great Plague affecting Cambridge, Newton retreated in isolation to Woolsthorpe where he soon came up with his theories of gravity, optics and calculus. After a wildfire, landscapes will explode with thousands of flowers known ... Read full article
From Boys to Young Men
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The day will come when they really feel they’ve found their soul mate or more likely, their love of the week. Either way, you have to prepare for mending a broken heart or teaching them how not to break someone’s heart.... Read full article
From the Brink of Suicide: Why Society Should Talk About Mental Illness
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When I was a teenager, I was hanging out in my room one night when my mom came home really late. She quietly knocked and entered my bedroom. Her face was tear-stained and her voice cracked as she told me where she’d been. She had been attending the f... Read full article