Jennie Miller
I'm a writer and photographer living in the beautiful rolling foothills of East Tennessee. When I'm not running or reading, I'm homeschooling my two boys and enjoying life with my husband. Together, we root for the Tennessee Vols and the Green Bay Packers, and we love playing board games at the dinner table. My other loves are our bluetick hound, Major, and our fat black cat, Salem. Unfortunately, they hate each other. Read more at jenniecreates.com.
My Kids Don’t Have Smartphones and I’m Not Sorry
I am a child of the '80s and came of age in the '90s. Technology was limited to the Walkman, then the Discman, cable (if you had it), and the first America Online chat...
The Long, Colorful Journey with Autism
Our second son was born smiling.
Actually, I don’t know that to be completely true since I wasn’t in the room when he was born, but by the time we got custody of him...
Letting Your Child Fail and Other Impossible Feats
Recognizing the importance of letting your child fail and watching it unfold in front of you are two very different things.
In my younger days of motherhood, I boldly touted the importance of letting your...
Check Yourself: Make a Dermatologist Appointment Now
Eight years ago, my husband saw a spot on my back that he’d never seen before. I’d just gotten out of the shower and had a towel wrapped around me when I felt his...
A Letter to My Son, the High Schooler
Dearest Firstborn, you are the lucky one.
Your father and I have tried out all of our best intentions on you. The rules, the freedoms, the second-guesses. You are our greatest experiment. And now, here...
So you Think you Want to Homeschool: Five Things you Should Know
When we decided to homeschool our boys for the 2011-2012 school year, one in second grade, the other in Kindergarten, it was mostly an experiment. I’d talked to other homeschooling moms about curriculum and...
Nurture Your Tribe
Twenty years ago, on a trip to New York City for a college journalism conference, I became friends with two girls who were on the newspaper staff with me. Though we’d interacted in the...
Reflections on the Doorstep of Forty
The birthday notifications on Facebook are one of my favorite features of that pesky, obnoxious social media site. Weed through the garbage and there are good things to find -- updated family photos, announcements...
Confessions of an Old School Mom
I used to say that I was a Mean Mom. It was in a joking way, but there was truth there. I felt like I was meaner than other mothers I knew, moms who...
Three Things that Make Me a Better Mom
Motherhood is a curious phenomenon. No other identity seems to have the same effect on our minds and bodies. One moment we are consumed with love and adoration for our children, wondering how we...
How We Knew it Was Time to Have The Talk
In the spirit of Sophia Petrillo, picture it: 2013. A beautiful Saturday morning in May. My nine-year-old son Jeremy and I are enjoying the warm sun on the back patio while my husband and...
Savor the Moments When They Happen
Raising a teenager, so far, can be summed up with two words: emotional whiplash.
My relationship with my 14-year-old is a sweet one. He still talks to me, confides in me, and wants my opinion...