Mother, Mommy, Mama, Mom - Molly Ringwald

“I went down this rabbit hole of just child therapists and child psychiatrists and education therapists. I even considered biofeedback. Anything to bring my lovely child back to us.”

Photo by Jason Falchook

Mother, Mommy, Mama, Mom

Molly Ringwald finds herself in the principal's office with her daughter, a young man navigates life with his single mom, a boy who loves Barbies is terrified at the thought of playing tackle football, and a daughter contemplates how to face her mother’s death with grace.

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Stories in this Episode

11:45
Mothering in Captivity

by Molly Ringwald

Molly Ringwald finds herself in the principal's office with her daughter.

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11:26
The Magician

by Anthony Griffith

A young man navigates life with his single mom.

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05:23
Tackle Football Birthday Party

by Julian Goldhagen

A boy who loves Barbies is terrified at the thought of playing tackle football. 

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13:02
But Also Bring Cheese

by Kate Tellers

A daughter contemplates how to face her mother’s death with grace. 

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Extras From This Episode

Molly Ringwald

Molly Ringwald talks with The Moth's Artistic Director Catherine Burns.

Anthony Griffith

Anthony’s previous Moth story “The Best of Times, The Worst of Times.”

Kate Tellers

Kate Tellers Radio Extra6

Kate and her mom blowing bubbles.

Kate Tellers Radio Extra2

Kate writes: “I used to think my mother made up the words that the comic characters said so I would tell her to ‘Talk at the funnies’ and bring them to life.”

Kate Tellers Radio Extra3

Kate writes: “This photo was taken on my roof on West 4th Street where I threw countless wine and cheese on a blanket parties. It was taken on the night before my sister went to work as an au pair in Germany and right around the time of the visit to Birdland. I have no idea what we’re looking at/why I thought that necklace was OK. Also my wine glass is plastic, a gift from an ex after he observed that I was so clumsy/my apartment was so small that I broke stemware on the regular.”

Kate Tellers Radio Extra4

Kate writes:  ”The lip one is my favorite because it’s our first back and forth and I feel like it’s really the moment when I became a Mom. I’ve been reluctant to share it at times because people go so damn bananas about pacifiers but now at 11 weeks my baby can eat most babies (and exclusively breast milk-fed adults)(if they exist) under the table so I feel a little more confident about it. I’m wearing one of two of my mother’s satin robes that I brought to labor in. Everyone kept commenting on how I should change into hospital gowns, or sort of giving my side-eye as though I was an out of touch Fancy, but the robes are washable and I wanted something of what I knew of motherhood to be with me.”

Kate Tellers Radio Extra5

Kate writes: “Right now. Child refuses to nap so he’s here with me while I am wrapping this up.”

The music in this story

  • The Drift - Uncanny Valley
  • Chandler Travis Three-O - Stuck
  • Richard Thompson - Streamwalk
  • Felix LaBand - Brake Take Make
  • Marian McPartland - Twilight World