themarginalian.org

How Evolution Invented Faith: The Patience of the Penguin and the Art of Withstanding Abandonment

The male's stoic, heroic devotion to his duty as incubator and nurse must be unique in nature, involving that almost incredibly long fast under conditions of exposure to intense frost that would kill most other living creatures. It is at last rewarded, while the rookery is still sunless in July, by the return of his mate, fat and full-bellied from her long sojourn amid the krill and small fishes.

wired.com

The Backward Logic of Chickenpox Parties

Before vaccines, some parents intentionally exposed their children to the virus. In the internet age, that thinking is resurfacing.

longreads.com

Asian Mothers, Bad Feelings: Notes on An All-conquering Stereotype

These mothers face a double bind. They hope to raise children unburdened by the past, comfortable in their new homeland, enjoying opportunities they never had themselves. If they succeed – as with many immigrant parents around the world – their prize is a child who is unintelligible to them.

longreads.com

The Devil’s Crown

But I think this may be parenthood—to give our best love to the ones we hurt most.

readtheprofile.com

The Profile: The world’s most disruptive company & the best-selling author on the planet

If you really think about it, "intensity," "consistency" and "authenticity" apply to almost everything that matters. Raising children requires intensity — that ferocious love and superhuman strength that shows up at 3 a.m. when you're exhausted but still rocking a baby back to sleep. Building something meaningful requires consistency — the unglamorous act of showing up again and again, long after the initial excitement fades.