Gretchen L. Kelly, Author

Parenting In A Trigger Happy Country

Sometimes, when my phone rings or I get a text during the school day, my heart stops for a minute. *** At my first high school football game, four people were shot. My parents were horrified and scared. They tried to find a way for me to switch schools. I didn’t want to. I loved […]

Five Rules For The Jackholes Trying To Ruin Halloween

Can we not suck the fun out of Halloween? Can we have one day? One day where it’s just about having fun and there are no guidelines or parameters or judgement or rules? I’ve been hearing plenty of grumbling on both mainstream and social media. Things that annoy people about Halloween. “Rules” for trick or […]

Hey School, We Need To Talk

Ahhhh, that new school smell. It’s the smell of fresh starts, new beginnings and a few precious hours a day without someone needing something from us. Don’t get me wrong. I love summer and having my three kids home with me. But in some ways I feel like I’ve been on a three month bender […]

To All My Friends: I’m Sorry.

I used to be a good friend. I was the friend you could call if you needed to vent. I was the friend who would drive for hours in the car smoking cigarettes and listening to music while you mended your broken heart. I was the friend who would stay up all night laughing and […]

To My Son, On Graduating From Middle School

Today I watched you grow up a little bit more. That’s how it seems to happen. Not in gradual ways that seem to slowly evolve, but in quick and sudden bursts. Shocking me each time you enter a room and seem completely different from the boy who walked out of the room moments earlier. Today […]

The Problem With Girls In Math And Science

  Last year I went to a Parent-Teacher conference with my daughter’s G.T. (Gifted and Talented) teacher. She sang my daughter’s praises. I basked in her glowing words and swelled with pride. Until she said this: “She’s really good in math. Probably one of my best math students. Even better than the boys in the […]

“Rebel Heart” Guest Post on Hasty Words

Who Me??? That’s what I thought when the incredibly talented Hasty Words asked me to do a guest post. Hasty is a poet, an artist and writer who’s words always leave me a little breathless and I am honored to be a guest over at her blog today. Click on the link and read all about […]

Four Ways I’m #Winning At Parenting

  I like to think I’m a pretty good parent. I love those three kids more than anything in the world. I have spent the better part of 14 years doing all the things for them. You know, all the mom things. They are pretty lucky little shits if you ask me. And I tell […]

Who’s Raising Who? Fourteen Years Of Being A Mom

 “And you can tell everybody this is your song It may be quite simple but now that it’s done I hope you don’t mind I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words How wonderful life is while you’re in the world” -Elton John, Your Song My brother died 10 days before my […]