Melissa J. Hogan | Attorney. Advocate. Author.

5 Steps to Raising an Inclusive Child: A-E-I-O-U

I doubt any parent has said, “I want my child to grow up to be… a bully.” No parent wants that phone call that says their son or daughter has been calling other children names either.
When a Teenager Called My Son A Retard

What does a bully look like? We imagine him bulky and gruff, sinister and sarcastic. He’s the extreme – either poor and defending his self-esteem by lashing out at the weak, or rich and lording his excess over the less fortunate. That’s bullying, right? What if the bully is just someone’s kid? A camp counselor…
Dear Wayne Grudem (and other Trump-Stumping Theologians):

While many prominent pastors and Christians refuse to stump for Donald Trump, theologians like Wayne Grudem and others have come out of the woodwork in enthusiastic support. Grudem’s post this week, Why Voting For Donald Trump is a Morally Good Choice, is now making the rounds and was sent to me by a friend who…
Therapy Thursday: 50% off Calmer – a book to help with your child’s medical trauma

If your child has a chronic medical condition, then you’ve probably encountered challenges with medical trauma. Or maybe someone else in your life faces this challenge. From minor flinching at needle sticks all the way to full blown meltdowns, you probably know how challenging it is to go from appointment to appointment, test to test,…
5 Ways for Tired Women to Reconnect With God

I’m tired. Tired. Tired. Are you with me? For me, it’s been awhile coming and for those who know me and my schedule, they’re probably not surprised by those words. But I’m not tired in the way that you think (okay, well maybe just a bit of that too).
Rare disease stole my life (and gave me a new one)

After having three children in three years, I thought my life’s plan was pretty well outlined. And I was pretty happy about it (in between the diapers, screaming toddlers, and late night laundry). My husband, my three boys (and maybe, just one more…), and I would grow up, laughing and running, teaching and learning. Living…
“Alive” Song and Video Worldwide Debut

It’s hard to fully share with others what the life of facing Hunter Syndrome is like – from diagnosis, to grief, to fighting to save your child. I sat down one evening, after the kids were asleep, with some song lyrics that I had begun about this passionate and painful life we lead. Within 30…
7 Reasons Why This Parent Is Thankful Donald Trump is Running for President

I don’t tell my kids how they should view the world. I do tell them how I view the world, how I would vote, and why. But someday (and that someday is like a speeding train from pre-teen to eighteen), they’ll have to make their own voting decisions and I want them to be informed.…
Why I Freak Out When My Son Says He’s Going to College

I don’t know what dang blasted cartoon is telling my son about things like high school and college, but I want to ban it. I drive down the road, rocking in my minivan, 90’s music on a low rumble so my kids can’t hear me sing, and my 8yo is going on and on about…
Jesus Peeps

I’ve been meditating on John 17 today. It really is a mesmerizing piece of Scripture. It shares part of a conversation between Jesus and the Father that I can practically hear live. Jesus had peeps. People. A Tribe. People that he cared about deeply. He was human, after all. And when he spoke with his…