death of a child

Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash

When The Opioid Crisis Hits Home

I witnessed my son's decline and felt helpless because I couldn't control his destructive behavior. As a parent, I'd lived my life protecting my child until I was pushed to the backseat when the disease of addiction took over. Read...
Jennifer Herbstritt (sister) and Jeremy Herbstritt on their aunt's front porch. (Courtesy of the Herbstritt family)

What The Mother Of A School Shooting Victim Taught Me About Parenthood

While planning to have a child of my own, I often asked myself: What would it feel like to parent a child who later died unexpectedly in a school shooting?

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Photo by Kristina Tripkovic on Unsplash

When Grief Turns Superstition Into Compulsion

Superstition ruled my mind. More than I realized. I had no idea, within hours, there’d be no child to mother. And then he was gone. And we were childless.

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I’d pay twice as much to move the party next door, so I could be alone, in peace, to cry.

The Heartbreaking Reason I Dread My Daughter’s Birthday

When everyone left, and the kids were asleep, I fell into bed exhausted. I stared at the ceiling thinking about why I hate this birthday.

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