Personal Essays

We are looking for evocative first-person narratives that have a unique focus, or take a novel angle, on a slice of the parenting experience. We are open to a range of styles and tones: the only requirement is that the essay works on its own terms—be it lyrical, humorous, research-oriented, etc—and conveys something fundamental about its writer. Up to 1,200 words. Completed essays only and please include word count.

Examples include: 

Fighting the patriarchy one grandpa at a time

Practicing who I will be when my kids are out of the house

How I finally learned to appreciate Goodnight Moon

For time-sensitive pieces, please indicate as much in the subject line. We also accept some personal essays, due to length or format, solely for our social media platforms.