Gemma Hartley

I hate some of the things I see my friends and family post on Facebook.

Feminism should empower all girls — not just those who buck the system. Do I have my preference for what I would like her to do? Yes, but what I envision for her isn’t as important as what brings her joy and helps her find fulfillment.

Did you read “gymnastics for grown-ass adults” and get real excited? Like, where can I find this? How can I do this? This sounds awesome! 

It probably isn’t the sort of parenting moment that is supposed to make a mother proud — the hitting, growling, and otherwise uncivilized decorum... But I couldn’t help feeling a deep satisfaction with my daughter.

I was lucky enough to avoid a great deal of body negativity growing up.

I am sometimes painfully envious of other (usually childless) writers who are doing the very thing I swore I would have done by now — publishing a novel.

Mom friends were the ones to whom you were supposed to spill all those dark parenting thoughts. I wanted that mom-magic. I knew it was out there somewhere.

It wasn’t the name I would have picked — not originally, at least — but as days turned into weeks, it grew on me.

Sometimes, I think back to all the ridiculous things I did for boys when I was younger and cringe.

When my son was little, I used to let him win board games a lot.