I used to be a magazine junkie. I had no fewer than thirteen magazine subscriptions, and I read them all cover to cover. These days, neither time nor finances permit me to keep up with so many subscriptions, so I’ve pared down drastically. The one that delivers the biggest thrill when I discover it in my mailbox is Brain, Child.
Brain, Child is a literary magazine for parents. (Its tagline is “the magazine for thinking mothers,” but dads can appreciate it, too.) Published quarterly, it’s packed with essays, debates, fiction, book reviews, and frequent hilarity. It’s also what can best be described as “nonpartisan.” Their mission statement, which you should really consume in full, reads:
“We aim to be down-to-earth, literary, commonsensical, neither too establishment nor too crunchy, funny, poignant, honest, respectful, irreverent, relevant, intelligent. We don’t have any particular agenda, except to support thought and debate on topics of interest to mothers.”
Recent issues have included articles about: single mom stigma, sibling rivalry, policing kids’ appearances, condoning teen sex, moms in the recession, the back-to-nature movement, and adoptive parents…and that hardly grazes the surface.
Each issue makes me laugh (the “motherwit” page is not to be missed!), and sometimes I tear up a little. I often find myself googling topics afterward, or signing into my library account to request books by recent contributors. I’d make a career out of picking up pennies in parking lots before letting my subscription lapse.
You can subscribe to Brain, Child here, or check out the current issue online. You can find it on the newsstand at Barnes & Noble and many independent bookstores.
