Op-eds, columns and personal essays.

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Single Mothers by Choice: The Right Choice for You?

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Everyone should be a parent. Let me rephrase that: Everyone who wishes to be a parent should be one, no matter their age, sex, or marital status… What really matters is whether they can love and provide for a child. Now, that’s easy for…
Why Can't I Lull My Toddler to Sleep?-LadydeeLG

Why Can't I Lull My Toddler to Sleep?

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Daddy is the sleep whisperer… I’m so not. I think I’m a pretty good mom. I try to spend as much time as possible with my son. There are things I’m pretty good at too, things that I’m proud of. For example, I’m proud that I…
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Are Telenovelas Really the Wave of the Future?

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There’s never a dull moment in a telenovela! From the long and often theatrical pauses, the vicious tongue lashings, and the inevitable cachetadas, one after another, we can’t help but keep our eyes glued to the screen when we’re watching…
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Why this Latina Mom is Grateful for Obama’s Victory

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Shortly before Barack Obama was elected President in 2008, the U.S. economy took a nosedive. A few months later, I separated and then divorced, after two years of marriage counseling and a personal and professional downward spiral prompted…
An American Tradition: The Pumpkin Patch

An American Tradition: The Pumpkin Patch

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One of the first places I brought Carlos when he was my boyfriend was to a pumpkin patch, and one of the first things I showed him was how to to carve a jack-o-lantern. I’ve always been interested in other cultures and traditions, but there…
LATISM12: An Empowering Social Media Experience

LATISM12: An Empowering Social Media Experience

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It’s really hard, if not impossible, to do a recap of a social media conference without feeling that you were unfair to someone by omission. But then, when attending a social media conference, I always leave with the feeling that I didn’t…
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Hurricane Sandy: A Mother in the Eye of the Storm

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I know about hurricanes. In 2004 I moved to the U.S. and landed in Miami one day ahead of Hurricane Jeanne. The same summer, my now ex-husband had relocated before the rest of the family, one day ahead of Hurricane Ivan. That was shortly after…
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A Mom’s Perfect Costume for an Imperfect Halloween

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Every fall, I vow to decorate the house for Halloween by October 15. Every year I promise myself to take the kids to a pumpkin patch, buy several pumpkins of different sizes and have a grand time carving them. Of course I want my jack-o-lanterns…
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Dealing with Fear of Trick-or-Treaters

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It wasn’t until I moved to San Francisco in 1997 that I understood what a big deal Halloween and trick-or-treating are in the U.S. Back then, the notorious Castro Halloween street party was still in full swing. That was the real deal! I…