by Merle | Dec 14, 2019 | Merle in the Media, Parenting, Single Parenting, Timing
What if your dreams of starting a family with your partner were disrupted by a life-threatening diagnosis? Caitlin Gibson, a reporter for The Washington Post wrote a thorough and compassionate article for The Washington Post Magazine, online here, in print on...
by Merle | Dec 12, 2019 | Ask Merle Q&A, Relationships
Q: Nate asks about how to handle reading and discussing The Baby Decision. Q: My wife Sara and I recently started reading our own separate copies of The Baby Decision. We are keeping a journal as we read and do the exercises. We are also trying to stay together in the...
by Merle | Dec 12, 2019 | Book Reviews
Do you have time off during the holidays? Despite busy, noisy celebrations, will you have quiet time by a fire or in a sun-filled room to curl up under a quilt with a book? Here are three books you might enjoy. Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life by...
by Merle | Dec 9, 2019 | Book Reviews
The Baby Decision has received three commendations from The American Library Association. It received a starred review from Blue Ink, an indie books’ sister publication to Booklist, which reviews traditionally published books. Then it was selected as the non-fiction...
by Merle | Nov 24, 2019 | Announcements
I am delighted to announce that The Baby Decision has just been released in audio book format! Actress/narrator Kathleen Godwin’s narration is warm and lively, full of humor and compassion. Audio books are the fastest-growing format in publishing, according to...
by Merle | Oct 8, 2019 | Book Reviews, Childfree Life, Parenting
Introducing The “New and Noteworthy Books” Section… In which I hand-select books that are intriguing and helpful while steering you clear of the fluff-filled and poorly written. Topics include childfree, parenting, zapping stress and finding meaning. Got anxiety? Read...
by Merle | Sep 24, 2019 | Ask Merle Q&A, Childfree Life, Parenting, Relationships
. Q: “How Do We Tell Our Parents We’re Not Having Kids?” … Twelve Tips for the Big Conversation: … Do your parents’ dreams of rocking a grandchild in their arms completely ignore your personality and desires? It won’t be easy to dash those dreams, but you...
by Merle | Sep 15, 2019 | Announcements, Merle in the Media, Videos & Podcasts
Merle busts myths about childfree people and one-child families in this lively interview on “Preconceived” with Dr. Zale Mednick. “Preconceived” is a podcast focused on how incorrect assumptions get in the way of solving the problems of modern life and...
by Merle | May 6, 2019 | Adoption, Childfree Life, Counseling, Deciding, Parenting, Timing
By Caitlin Gibson | Read original story at the Washington Post. They arrive anxious for an answer. Or maybe, finally, a sense of peace. They arrive because they haven’t been able to resolve the biggest question of their lives: Do I want to be a parent? And so they...
by Merle | Apr 27, 2019 | Merle in the Media, Parenting
On Wisconsin Public Radio, Merle talked to host Rob Ferret and New York Times reporter Hannah Seligson about how ignorance about childfree people prevents people from considering this choice. A privacy-craving father called in to warn introverts considering parenting...
