Joanna Close
Jo is a part-time SLP and full-time wife and mama. When not at work, she can be found enjoying "flamily" time with local park adventures, make-believe birthday tea parties, and neighborhood walks; in her home office making lists, starting but not finishing embroidery, home décor, or photo projects, or over-sharing on her personal blog http://stuffjoknows.blogspot.com; or probably she's just on the couch.
(Portland) Kids Say the Darndest Things
We all know kids, especially young ones, say the funniest things; from brutal honesty about our appearances, to off-the-wall ideas, to insightful observations, and high-level questions with difficult answers. So what's special about kids being raised...
What Parents Grieving the Loss of a Child Need from You
I don't typically pay mind to the myriad special awareness days, weeks, and months that exist, but they are great opportunities to advocate for social issues or illnesses, and certainly make for a good...
Just What is a ‘Good Mom’ Anyway?
I find it a paradox of praise when people called me a 'good mom' for what they have seen of me on social media. I feel both flattered and self-conscious. But as I think about the...
Travel Without Kids: Creative Ways to Manage Separation
If your family is anything like mine, you've had some memorable experiences with separation anxiety; daycare drop-off, date night, or a girls-only getaway. Goodbyes are tearful, clingy and tremendously difficult to part ways for anything...
When You’re a Motherless Mother on Mother’s Day
Mother's Day can be a source of joy for many, sadness for some, and a melting pot of mixed emotions for others. As a 'motherless mother,' I now spend the holiday simultaneously relishing my lovely...
Raising an Only Child and What to Say When People Have an Opinion
Despite the growing proportion of families opting for one child, and all the research dispelling old myths about social skills, loneliness, and over-parenting, the "only child" stigma is still strong in the family-size caste...
Secondary Infertility and What to Say When You’re Trying to Conceive
The Internet is full of "expert" advice about how to sensitively talk, or not talk to your friends and loved ones about reproductive health, family size, and secondary infertility. But what's more annoying than those asking ignorant questions...
Becoming a Frozen Family: Learning to Love Disney Princesses
We recently acquired two new members of the household. They are sisters who wake me every morning with their Broadway vocals, doff their dresses to join my daughter in the bath, and hijack at...