As a child of the 1980s, I can’t help but remember the “bumbling dad” trope that seemed to dominate the entertainment industry. There were movies like “Mr. Mom” and “Three Men and a Baby,” television shows like “My Two Dads,” “The Hogan Family,” and “Full House,” and a weird collection…

Being a parent is never easy. I should know, as I have eight children. I have four biological children from my first marriage, three stepchildren from my second marriage, and one adopted daughter. Two of my bio kids, my adopted daughter, and I all live with angioedema. Being a…

After waking up in the middle of the night and emptying the contents of my stomach all over the floor, I weakly walked to my parents’ room and woke up my mother. When she finally understood what I was mumbling, she got up, cleaned my floor, cleaned me up,…

“You actually trust him to babysit?” the woman asked me. Although it wasn’t my first time hearing it, the question still took me off guard. When our four children were younger, I was a stay-at-home mom. Even though our oldest children were in school, the twins had yet to reach…

Of all the ways to wake up, my aching face in a pool of water ranked pretty low. Unfortunately, that wasn’t something I knew until it happened. After very extensive surgery to remove four wisdom teeth, I was sent home with my parents, an appropriate and necessary amount of pain…

With 20 minutes until the appointment and an 18-minute drive, I’d run out of any wiggle room for anything that might delay me in getting the twins to the pediatrician on time. Although I had attempted to leave quickly, I answered honestly when my then 4-year-olds asked if they would…

“Dr. Huxtable? My name’s not Bud, it’s Kenny.” That hilarious line was brilliantly delivered by an 8-year-old Deon Richmond in a 1984 episode of “The Cosby Show.” When Rudy Huxtable brings home a new friend, she introduces the young man as “Bud.” She bosses him around, answers for him, and…

“Mom?” my oldest son’s raspy and weak voice said over the phone. “Can you come pick me up? I don’t feel good.” I had my keys in my hand before he finished the sentence. Our oldest son carries the proud badge of being the healthiest kid in the house. Although…

The cast was revving up for the midsong dance break, with 16 counts left. Because the performers occupied the stage and the floor, I took weeks to choreograph the musical number to account for my high school students’ safety. Nevertheless, I smiled as the audience, a captivated crowd of dinner…

The narrator had me at the edge of my seat. Finally, after almost an hour, I was sure I knew how this would end. And then, plot twist! It was the friend from the beginning of the episode. My surprised yelp caused my husband, PJ, to glance up from his…