Erika Dreifus

It’s not exactly a secret around here that although I don’t have children of my own, I’m quite interested in parent-child relationships and the infinite stories emanating from them. Today, I thought I’d point out some exemplary parenting-related writing.

First up: Recently, I reconnected with a friend who is now a mom to twin toddlers (and two wonderful older stepchildren). I was quick to recommend Jane Roper’s excellent “Baby Squared” blog on Babble.com. I’m not exactly sure when I discovered this blog, but Jane, whose name I remembered from the Boston writing scene, instantly pulled me in with her smart, funny writing about life with her twin girls.
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Next: “Kelly James-Enger” is another name I’ve known for a long time, mainly from many years’ worth of Writer magazine articles. The other day, I read Kelly’s beautiful essay, “When Words Really Matter.” It’s an eloquent reminder that sometimes, our most significant writings won’t earn us a penny of income. But they’re infinitely more valuable than anything that might bring in a paycheck.
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Finally, Gene Weingarten’s Washington Post article, “Fatal Distraction,” is currently making the Internet rounds. This extended article is notable for its powerful writing (as well as its tragic subject matter). Warning: You may not be able to get through it. (For the record, I first found this article via Lisa Belkin’s Motherlode blog at NYTimes.com.)

Any of you want to recommend similar/related writings or writers? Please do so, in comments!