In December of 2020, fellow moms, friends and confidants, Caroline Alexander and Lauren Gant launched a community blog where parents can come to connect over shared stories of hope, healing and humor. The pair will be sharing their own stories and wish to include yours as well!

There have been over 3000 academic studies about the success and benefits that creative endeavors can have on health and well-being. The creation of a story, whether it be communicated through written word, visual art or music, satisfies a deep part of the human soul. Many find that artistic creation is rather cathartic as it helps channel emotion and thoughts in a way that otherwise, may remain untapped. Engaging in creative activities has even been shown to support cognitive function in old age.

While some of our most intimate stories are written purely for the creator, others have the power to inspire, teach lessons or create escapes when shared.

Our goal is to provide a platform for parents, many of whom are juggling work, school decisions, and coping with a global pandemic by sharing hardships, successes, joys and hope. We hope to provide some comfort, encourage resiliency, and create community. AND WE NEED YOUR HELP.

What We’re Looking for in Contributors:

We are looking for honest, hopeful and humorous short stories (through your preferred method of storytelling medium) that illustrate your struggles through the pandemic and how your family has found the light in these discouraging times. We have provided a short list of categories that may help guide your creative direction:

• Looking on the Bright Side / Finding the Positive
• Self-Care Practices
• Ah-Ha Moments
• Overcoming the Insurmountable
• Confessions of a Mom
• Only in a Pandemic
• Childhood Education
• To Work or Not to Work

If you don’t think you have a story to tell, keep those eyes and ears open. You DEFINETLY do! Need some inspiration? Look back at your text strings with your best friends or family members, scroll through your photos or meditate on it while drinking your favorite coffee or wine. Did you find something? We thought so, now get to it!

If you have a story to share or question to ask, please submit it to us at thethirdpiggie@gmail.com . When you send, please include your submission with any original photographs or non-copyrighted images that you’d like to include with your post. Please also tell us whether we should keep your identity private when we share your story or if you’d like to have your name attached to the submission. There is NO DEADLINE for submissions. Posts will start going live in December and continue for the foreseeable future. Please include the following:

Name:

Share Identity of Author on Blog?: Y or N

State of Residence:

Age of Child(ren):

You will receive a submittal confirmation within 48 hours and another note in upcoming weeks to update you on when your story will be shared.

We look forward to being inspired by your stories. As the great American author F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say.”

Well wishes,

Caroline Alexander & Dr. Lauren Gant