Raising My Alcoholic Mother
Posted inModern Family

Raising My Alcoholic Mother

Mama became an alcoholic before I was born and drank every evening through my childhood. Growing up around someone like that, you tend to become shrewd early on. You invent dry days at the snap of your fingers and dismiss suicide wishes as pointless drama.
Folks in Town: How to Parent-Proof Your House
Posted inModern Family

Folks in Town: How to Parent-Proof Your House

I live a dual life. I’m an outspoken liberal guy in the streets, and a religious, paavam one in the sheets. So when my parents decided to visit me after three years, I upturned mattresses to look for old condom packets and purchased tons of room spray to get rid of any lingering cigarette smell.
My Father, the First Feminist in My Life
Posted inModern Family

My Father, the First Feminist in My Life

Even before I became a 23-year-old self-identifying feminist, my dad had already defined masculinity for me in ways that the world needed to realise and understand, through actions like helping my mother with housework, and expressions of emotion, including tears.
What No One Tells You About Losing Your Parents
Posted inModern Family

What No One Tells You About Losing Your Parents

When you lose both your parents, the constant is the assurance from relatives that you will be fine and things will be brighter. They do get brighter. But what I miss most is that my parents would’ve loved seeing me live my life. If only I could’ve grown up sooner.