Mother’s Day

A Podcast, An Essay, And Why I Continue to Submit

Posted on by Wendy Kennar

Friends, in this week’s blog post I’m pleased to share some writing-related news.

But first — Sunday, May 10th is Mother’s Day, and I understand that it can be a day of difficult emotions for some. If this applies to you, please feel free to skip over the next two paragraphs. I don’t want anything I write to add to your discomfort.

In case you’re looking for a gift for a special grandmother in your life, may I suggest Chicken Soup for the Soul: Being Grandma? You may remember back in March, I shared the good news that my personal essay, Birthday Buddies, is one of the 101 stories included in this heartfelt collection. 

In addition, did you know there is a Chicken Soup for the Soul podcast? I’m so pleased to share that my story, Birthday Buddies, was recently featured on the Chicken Soup for the Soul podcast, in the episode titled, “Two Stories about Play Dates with Grandchildren.” The entire episode is about fifteen minutes long, and my story begins at about 7:05 into the podcast. (You can access the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts. And, please feel free to post a review!)

And, I have one more writing-related bit of news to share! I am so delighted and proud to tell you my personal essay, “On a Scale Of…”, has won first place in the 2026 Streetlight Essay/Memoir Contest. My essay, along with the second and third place essays, will be published in the 2026 Summer Issue of Streetlight. I’ll let you know when it’s available. 

Just the other day, I had told my mom I was getting one rejection after the other. Because that’s how it works in the writing-world, at least this is how it generally works for me. 

A partial screenshot of my Submittable page.

I write. I submit. And usually I get rejected. 

Last week, I received an email stating, “Unfortunately, this piece is not the right fit for the anthology at this time,” and three days later another email (for a different submission) telling me, “Unfortunately, the other nonfiction editors and I have decided not to accept your piece for our upcoming issue.” (These are actual quotes I pulled from two different email rejections.) 

So writer friends, keep at it. Keep writing. Keep submitting. 

Honestly, I almost didn’t enter the Streetlight contest. But then again, there is no chance of me winning anything or getting published unless I submit.

Please note: I am including a link to buy the book that I’m highlighting this week. If you use my link, I do make a small commission on your purchase at no additional cost to you. I am working with Bookshop.org which also sends a portion of the profit to support local, independent bookstores.


In Honor of Mothers and Teachers

Posted on by Wendy Kennar

When he was in preschool, my now twelve-year-old son made me this necklace for Mother’s Day.

Long before I became a mother, I celebrated Mother’s Day.

And I don’t just mean by honoring my amazing mom.

Each May, my students created Mother’s Day gifts for the special woman in their lives. For some students, that woman wasn’t their mother but their grandmother, aunt, older sister, or step-mom.

In honor of Mother’s Day, the special women who make a difference in a child’s life, and the teachers who help children honor these women with forever-treasured mementoes, I’d like to share a recently published personal essay. Click here to read “How Teachers Help Make Mother’s Day Special” published on motherwellmag.com

The A to Z List of A Mom’s Jobs

Posted on by Wendy Kennar

Last week, I made a trip to the market to buy a jar of pickles for my son’s science project. (The experiment – to find out which would grow mold faster: a bowl of spaghetti or a pickle.)

I visited our public library to return the books my son had used for a research project.  (I had also checked out these books almost two months ago.)

I made chocolate chip cookies for dessert.  (In all fairness, they were the break-apart and bake kind.)

I comforted my son during the night when he awoke from a bad dream.  (He felt so uneasy, I wound up lying down on his rug until he fell back asleep just so I would be nearby.) 

I played many rounds of “Heads Up.” (My son holds the record with 15 correct guesses.)

I cooked while trying to ignore the bowl of moldy spaghetti on my kitchen counter. (The pickle just shriveled up).

And in between all that, there were the meals and the clean-up.  The bills that were paid.  The plants that were watered.  The zipper that was unstuck.

In other words, there are a million little, and not-so-little, things that moms do every day just because they are moms.  Because they care about their children.  Because no matter how they do it, all moms are basically trying to do the same thing – help their children be happy, healthy, and safe.

So in honor of Mother’s Day, I’d like to share with you a post I wrote a few years ago for MomsLA.com.  Click here to read the A to Z List of a Mom’s Jobs.