(NB: I wrote this essay more than two weeks after the events herein described took place, to ensure that no one in my pod contracted Covid-19 in pursuit of this story. Thankfully, no one did!) Once upon a time, when Free Comic Book Day was rescheduled to August 2021, I visited my local comics retailer…
Alice at Naptime: Peace Within the Chaos of Baby
Nine years ago, Shea Proulx discovered the same thing many parents discover: having a baby often means setting aside your work and creative goals. She also discovered that the tiny, fragile piece of her soul that she’d just produced could shape her creativity into something new. One of many pieces of advice tossed at new…
The Sims 4: Parenthood, or, how Millennials are Killing Family, Too
The Sims 4 has been out for almost three years now, and I’ve been playing it almost since launch. I’ve bought DLC after DLC but, until now, none addressed my one major qualm about the base game: its lack of family-oriented gameplay features. But with the addition of the Toddler life-stage earlier this year, and…
Mom’N’Pop Culture: Summer Entertainment and Sanity
I had children for the same reason I got married—I wanted someone to share my life with. However, that does not mean I want to spend every waking moment with them. It’s a somewhat harsh truth, but I’m honest and not afraid to share this sentiment with my family. I’m an extreme introvert, and that means…
Toxic Lake Fish Mongers: Discount Salmon Review
Welcome to the first installment of Homegrown Guild, Chachi Bobinks’s new column about family-friendly gaming. This month she takes a look at Discount Salmon, an all-ages card game. Sometimes the only thing I want in life is a fun game I can play with my kids.