When I first began to talk to The Cowboy about my son, I pretty much toed the liberal line. If my kid had behavioral problems, I reasoned, it was because he was “special”—either because he was “gifted” or because he (maybe) had an autism spectrum disorder or social difficulties. This sort of thinking dominated the […]
Today, I want to explain how and why it is that I, once strictly an urban girl with a love of city life, have decided that small towns are better places to raise kids—or at least my kid. Even though you are all probably familiar with the fact that I am involved with a Cowboy […]
By the time you read this, I will be back from Kansas City, where I will have given the keynote address at MANA de Kansas City’s 30th anniversary celebration. MANA is a national organization for Latinas, based in Washington, D.C., but with chapters across the nation. One of the many good elements of MANA is […]
Of the many challenges that I face as a single mother, none is so daunting as finding a balance among all of those things that are important to me. Often, I fall short of reaching my goal to maintain a mindful equilibrium, especially when I am on a deadline with a novel or a script. […]
In her latest installment of “A Cowboy’s Guide to Raising Boys,” writer Alisa Valdes realizes it’s time to toughen up a little. It will come as little surprise to those who know me that I have long been just a tiny bit, well, over-reactive—especially to anything I perceive to be even remotely dangerous, scary, or […]
Few things strike fear into the heart of a single mother more than learning that her child is being bullied. When that child is a boy, it can be even more frightening because, let’s face it, boyworld is a very different place; one we just don’t know how to navigate. Recently, my son Alexander, 10, was […]
I’m a single mom to a ten-year-old boy. My son’s father is one of those “fun” dads that kids see mostly on the weekends- you know, the kind who is really great at playing video games and teaching the kid to beat-box, but not so great at, oh, I don’t know – stuff like paying […]