.... where family is the source of humor!

Humor Is Relative's 2002 Stories' Archive - Can you relate?

Complete listing of Humor Is Relative's 2002 collection of humorous parenting, or family life, stories and essays! Selections listed from the oldest to most recent of our offerings, so ... get something to drink, sit back, click, and enjoy! Can you relate?

Humor Is Relative sincerely thanks all the writers and humor columnists for submitting the delightfully humorous stories, within this archive, to share with others.

2001 Humorous Family Stories Features sharings from Kimberly Ripley, Elizabeth Palmer, Brenda Graham Shrider, Renee Ripley ... and more!

2003 Humorous Family Stories Features sharings from LaVonis Miracle, Liz Masoner, John Sheirer, Glenn Arnold ... and more!

2004 Humorous Family Stories Features sharings from LaVonis Miracle, John Sheirer, Rudy Wilson Galdonik ... and more!

2005 Humorous Family Stories features sharings from James L. Snyder, Marilyn Rudenstein, Terry Lerdall-Fitterer, David Westbrook, and more!

2006 Humorous Family Stories features sharings from Pat Carey, Melinda L. Wentzel, Erica Stux, Robert Crane, and more!

Parents deserve a couple of hours to themselves. They line up a sitter for the children then go out to spend some time with other adults or for a bit of solitude. Until their return, a brief respite from their parental roles.

My youngest daughter has three faults:
· She loves being the center of attention, which can create a few eye-rolling moments in her quest for this honor. Such as the time she became stuck head first in a large box with her feet flailing in the air helplessly. Why she tried to climb into the box is a mystery actually. If she had been a few years younger we could have chalked it off as natural Curiosity, but at the age of 12 that excuse seemed unfitting to the event.
· She prefers to have things her way. Although this can lead to a few sibling rivalry moments or the ever popular guilt trip on a parent.
· Natural Curiosity about ``new things``.

Having children presents us, as parents, with cherished memories. Our children one day will present us with grandchildren. Not many of us, though, are ready to hide our concern over our children prospective roles as parents; particularly when our child is in a Life Skills course at the local junior high school.

Carol shares another humorous story about shopping with the spouse. Well, not really shopping but the knack of sometimes leaving the store without purchasing what caught her eye. While some people may think this is not a particularly bad habit, Carol's husband may beg to differ.

Fads come and go. Some gain enough popularity to last for a few years, such as with the baggy pants attire. Other fads are in then out the back door before you had a chance to appreciate their presence. Then there are phases a person goes through. It is enough to make a parent wonder what is up their child's sleeve next. Take, for example, the laugh enhancement phase my daughter is going through...

James, our first male contributor, shares an interesting male point of view on the female point of view about ... well, stuff. Yoo-hoo! All you guys out there reading this ... can you relate?

I refuse to admit being a procrastinator. I also do not feel 'disorganized' or 'scatterbrained' as accurate descriptive terms either. But . . .

Other mothers have refrigerator doors dotted with cheerful crayon or pencil drawings of houses, flowers, animals, or whatever their Junior Artist happens to share. My refrigerator cannot boast of being home to such youthful artistic renditions.

Being a teen-ager is not an easy task. They wish to spread their wings, showing peers and parents a bit of the birth of their independence and maturity. We, as parents, wish to trust and encourage our teen-ager's emergence into adulthood. Linda shares, in a poetic fashion, what may happen when we agree to allow our teen-ager to have a party in our home . . . unchaperoned.

Every year families get-together for reunions, a time to share potluck dishes . . . and stories about the shining, and less than proud, moments within our Individual family units. Some stories can become a family reunion "staple" expectantly shared at every gathering. This is mine . . .

Attending events at our children's school, or just around town, have us at times wondering. Such as about, if given a chance to express our thoughts, how would we handle the role of advice columnist? Some of us may hold back our thoughts and share the Miss Manners or politically correct thoughts instead. Or would we be tempted to follow Catharine's example and share the Miss Behaved slightly colorful two pennies worth of thought?

A common refrain that surrounds a baby of the family is "S/He always get their way!" One week-end though ...

What can I say other than "I plan ahead"?

Jim, the second male writer to join Humor Is Relative's ranks, shares an amusing story about his father-in-law. What happens when your father-in-law loves wrestling and you happen to luck into ringside seats at a wrestling match? If it is appearing here, then you know the answer. "Humor!"

I love my husband. I genuinely appreciate that he can tolerate my imperfections in what would be regarded as assets in my personality ... or would that my individuality? There do arise times, as in the course of any relationship, when he may prefer I kept some facets of my personality under better restraints. Say like in the wee early morning hours...

My father became proud of the cars he owned through the years. He didn't know how to work on cars, so tinkering on the engine or body isn't what helped him to bond to the vehicle. I suppose it is something about the male chemistry; if it is sleek, shiny, and can have a girl's name then it must be ok. Regardless of the male bonding aspect, a car can become a part of many family memories.

When our children grow up and leave home, we - as mothers - find ourselves fixing up little 'care packages' to send our offspring a little 'taste' of home. I hope you enjoy Linda Sultan's humorous poetic musing about fixing a batch of homemade cookies for her son away at college ...

A brother who can recall rolling his eyes in exasperation at a little sister ... well, he definitely can have me relate while remembering the times I caused my own brother to do the same. Don't take my word for it though. See for yourself if Jeffrey won't have the fisherman among us smiling and chuckling while sharing memories of a fishing trip with you!

One weekend Frank and Carol decided to tour Washington DC. Since their son was only a few months old, at the time, they took along a diaper bag stocked with bottles of formula and diapers. The trip uneventful until...

It's that time of year again! One which some of us look forward to and others dread; the time to decorate our homes for the family holiday gatherings. July 4th or Memorial Day reunions do not involve tinsel, trees, ornaments, lights, or fancy menus. Catharine shares with us more of her Miss Behaved thoughts ...

Having children usually means that there lies a possibility of having pets becoming a part of the family. My children adopted a black cat that they named Angel. Angel was already pregnant at the time of her adoption into our family, so she blessed us with kittens. One of Angel's offspring in particular created a slightly humorous memory for both my family and a veterinarian.

Catharine shares another "Miss Behaved" observation, in terms of the gift giving and receiving, about the Christmas season.

My mother's first car was a little white Corvair that my father bought for her. She dearly loved that car and, when they later sold it, missed it. Around the same time frame, back in the early 1960's, she was also gifted with a garbage disposal. This apparently was a big deal back at that time since these were new items for the home therefore not many people had one yet. As any sibling would do in my mother's shoes, she called up one of her sisters to brag about the new disposal.

Humorous Book Recommendations:             [ view all ]
Being Miss Behaved: Humorous Essays For The Politically Incorrect
[Catharine Bramkamp; 201 pages]
After enjoying the excerpts, such as Flour Babies and Dressing Like an 8th Grader, shared here at Humor Is Relative - why not order the book to read more! Catharine will have you laughing and shaking your head with her Miss Behaved essays. Can you relate?

Humorous Book Recommendations:             [ view all ]
Free Chairs[John Sheirer; 224 pages]
Did you enjoy the excerpt, Stepfather Once Removed, from Free Chairs? Then you may be interested in reading John's other heart-warming and thought-provoking essays contained in this collection! Can you relate?

I am a hundred and two years of age. I have no worries since my youngest son went into an old folks' home.
--Victoria Bedwell

Humor Is Relative
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If you think the woman is the weaker sex, try pulling the blankets back to your side.
--Stuart Turner

Think you have a funny story about your family, or moments in parenting, that our readers may enjoy? Review Humor Is Relative submissions guidelines & submit your story! Who knows, we just may like it!

Meet Humor Is Relative's contributing writers!

"You wrote about what?!?!"
--Daughter's reaction when seeing a story her mother had shared.

Humor Is Relative Contributors Published Works:
Growing Up Irish Catholic
Patrick Carey
Humorous Misadventures Of A Tropical Island Mom
Faith R. Foyil
101 Haiku for Mom
Faith R. Foyil
Storky: How I Lost My Nickname and Won The Girl
Debra Garfinkle
Don't Put Lipstick On The Cat
Debbie Farmer, Jana Christy
Life in the Fast-Food Lane (Surviving the Chaos of Parenting)
Debbie Farmer, Shauna Cramer
Take Heart! True Stories of Life, Love, & Laughter
Rudy Wilson Galdonik
Simply Southern
Cappy Hall Rearick
Available in hardbook.
Family Life & Other Strife
Linda Sultan
Being Miss Behaved: Humorous Essays For The Politically Incorrect
Catharine Bramkamp
Free Chairs
John Sheirer
Saying My Name
John Sheirer
Shut Up and Speak!
John Sheirer
Freelancing Later In Life
Kimberly Ripley
Breathe Deeply, This Too Shall Pass
Kimberly Ripley
Write Now! What Are You Waiting For
Kimberly Ripley
Lily's Gift
Kimberly Ripley
The Ghost of Useppa Island
Kimberly Ripley
Clinical Dialogues In Family Therapy
Howard Defonsky M. S. W. R. S. W.
When a Family Considers Therapy
Howard M. Denofsky M. S. W. R. S. W.

I want to have children but my friends scare me. One of them told me she was in labor for thirty-six hours. I don't even want to do something that feels good for thirty-six hours.
--Rita Rudner