I got good news and bad news today. Since I'm a positive chick, I'll start with the good: Starting with the May issue, I'll be penning the parenting/family column for the magazine! (Cue the applause.) The bad news? I'll be penning the parenting/family column for the magazine! (Cue the violins.)
Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful for the opportunity and humbled by the vote of confidence — and also panicked down to the very marrow of my writer's-block-fearing bones. How can I possibly dream up intriguing, inspiring and insanely hilarious stuff to write about 12 months out of the year?
In all honesty, I'm not too terribly nervous. I've tackled nerve-busting topics before. For instance, I wrote a feature last May that chronicled the history of golf in Fort Worth. I know squat about the sport, but I was lucky to have incredibly schooled sources (like the illustrious Marty Leonard, who also happens to be one of the nicest people on earth). These fine folks all generously shared their insider info with me — and on one of the tightest deadlines known to man, no less.
But still … While I do know a whole lot about life with kids, can I make my columns at least mildly intelligent and amusing enough to keep you guys reading past the first paragraph?
I write of all this on April 27, which incidentally is the same day that I went into preterm labor with my twin boys back in 1999. Those tiny, helpless dudes who went from watching Donald Duck to Duck Dynasty are turning 14 this week. And in that time, I’ve amassed quite a few memories and experiences (oh, and two more kiddos, to boot: a son and a daughter) that I hope will be fitting fodder for Fort Worth, Texas magazine.
When I first became a mom, I had no idea what to expect. Save for a few babysitting jobs, my life was essentially devoid of words like sippy cup, wet wipe and diaper bag. Heck, I’d never even changed a diaper before and felt woefully inadequate during Huggies vs. Pampers debates.
While I'm happy to report that my expertise has increased over the years, I still wonder sometimes if I'm doing things “right” … if I'm a good mom. But I think those are universal worries and things most of us struggle with. It's just that, thanks to FW Mag's editorial team, I get to play mine out in front of a gazillion readers.
No pressure, Alison. Not at all.
But, seriously, it's going to be a fun ride!
