When I was single, I never hesitated to travel alone. I’d visit family out of province, go across the country for work, and even took university courses in Berlin one summer. I loved seeing the world, and I loved the freedom of traveling by myself with no one else to worry about. If I wanted to sleep in and waste the morning, I did. If I wanted to wake up at the crack of dawn to watch the sunrise over a castle, I did. I ate where and when I wanted to, went into every museum and shop that caught my eye, and never worried about inconveniencing someone else with my whims. It was glorious.

My kids are not natural swimmers. Watching them, you’d never call the older one “a fish” or say that his brother “looks so at home in the water.”

A few months ago I wrote a blog called “Moms, Let’s Talk About the Drinking.” I hoped it would start a conversation among those of us who’d decided – or realized – we were drinking too much.

You’ve watched – or at least HEARD about – the documentary on Netflix. You’ve read a couple articles about this ‘lifestyle’ online. Some friends you follow on social media are even embracing it.

I went on a date.

The voice comes from the back seat of my car.

Before I was a mom, I had all kinds of ideas about how I would parent. No television. Limited processed foods. And I certainly wouldn’t stand for a tantrum in the grocery store. (Hah! I was so funny back then.)