Bari and Olly here. It’s been a helluva week. Again. We suspect you might feel the same way. Perhaps especially if you are parents.
We’re both parents of young daughters. It’s hard not to look at the state of things and wonder what kind of world we are building for our children. For those of you with older kids—and we’ve heard from so many of you—you face different questions: how to talk to them about hard things, like war and their safety; or, with even older kids, how to navigate a culture that feels increasingly upside-down.
So for today: parenting. Four stories that are each, in their own way, fortifying, affirming, reassuring. Or at least they were for us, and we hope they are for you too.
Outdoorsman Steve Rinella, who likes to take his kids caribou hunting, explains why it’s important to raise adventurous kids (though we think our definition of adventurous might be a little different to Steve’s):
Liz Wolfe makes the case for having kids young and eschewing parental perfectionism:
Martin Gurri—a prophetic thinker and early Honestly guest—has strict instructions for everyone: go forth and multiply! It’s only the future of humankind that depends on it:
Nani Beraha reflects on being a Jewish mother at a time like this, and seeing the refugees in her own children’s faces:
Hug your loved ones tightly and have a great weekend.
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In just one day, The Free Press has published more quality stories about parenting than the MSM has in years. Becoming a parent is by far the most meaningful thing I've ever done. Especially during trying times like these, all I have to do is look at my daughter for all the love, motivation, and inner peace I'll ever need. Be a rebel, start (and grow) a family. Grandparents deserve a ton of credit too.
Big virtual hugs to the FP team, the spotlighted authors, and the fun thoughtful folks in the comments zone.
Bari and Oliver,
Thank you for four beautifully crafted essays. I read each one and give each my highest compliment: I wish I had written that. The last paragraphs by Martin Gurri were so beautiful and so perfectly described my exact situation that I felt as though he was speaking about me. I shared this post to my FB and Twitter (I still cannot get used to the ridiculous "X") pages. Thank you for this.
P. S. Bari- I have tried to reach you about writing a piece for TFP about my situation vis a vis being banned for life in the American College of Surgeons for speaking out about DEI and antiracism. Sorry to reach out like this, but how do I reach you? My email is rtbosshardt@aol.com.