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Rachel Jones

Twins? Africa? Marathons? Why not?! Bring on the adventure (but don't forget the coffee).

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Featured Posts

No, My Family’s Not Leaving Africa Because of Ebola

The outbreak is 3,000 miles away, and I'm not going to let fear drive us from our home.

Parenting

What These 18 Parenting Terms REALLY Mean for a Mom of Twins

Breastfeeding: A juggling fiasco that ends with three people drenched in milk, sweat, and tears.

Parenting

Dear Mom of the Crying Baby on the Airplane

"I am wishing you rest, wishing you confidence to ignore the snide looks of some."

Parenting

About

Rachel lives in Djibouti where she swims with whale sharks, runs in 110-degree heat, and writes about parenting and the expatriate life. Her work has been published in the New York Times, Family Fun, and Brain Child.

Website

djiboutijones.com

Hometown

Minneapolis, MN

Kids

3

Fun Facts

My most impressive parenting skill:

Letting my teenagers fly internationally on their own and (almost) not worrying about them.
Three things I can’t live without:

My faith, my family, and a really good book. And coffee. I can live without math.
The amount of coffee I drink in a day:

One super-sized cup made from home roasted Ethiopian beans, black.

Posts by Rachel Jones

What I Told My Daughter After She Was Shamed for “Playing Like a Girl”

It wasn't so long ago that I too was that little girl, wanting so badly to be a part of the game, instead of watching from the sidelines.

Parenting

What We Can Learn About Tolerance from the Only White Kid on This High School Step Team

My nephew is just 14 years old; and yet he's already learned so much more about racial tolerance than many of us learn in a lifetime.

Relationships

What It’s Like to Be an American Mom Raising Kids in Djibouti, Africa

I've been here 13 years now, and I can tell you one thing for sure: It's definitely been a learning experience.

Parenting

What I Learned About Myself When I Saw a Mom with Her Dress Tucked into Her Underwear

In my awful pettiness, I immediately pictured my nemesis having this happen in public. And I wondered ... Would I tell her?

Relationships

To the Mom Who Just Had Twins: You Can Do This

I know you're too exhausted to be aware of this right now, but you are doing a good job.

Parenting

We Don’t Know What We’re Raising Them For

The future seems more vast and uncertain than ever. Suddenly, "What do you want to be when you grow up," isn't such a simple question.

Parenting

I’m the Mom in Her Pajamas at the Grocery Store

And you know? This doesn’t bother me.

Parenting

This Is What Potty Training Is Really Like Around the World

Did you know that in Germany, little boys are taught to pee sitting down, to avoid any messes?

Parenting

People Say We Fight A Lot

I wonder what people expect from a couple married for 16 years. Do they think I'm just going to agree with everything he says?

Relationships

How to Be a Mom When Your Country Falls Apart

Can you imagine being pregnant and trying to help your family escape a violent rebellion?

Parenting

22 Ways Teenagers Are Basically Just Super-Sized Toddlers

Now that you mention it, they do both get really cranky when they skip their naps.

Parenting

“But Mom, They’re Cheating!”

My 9-year-old has played tennis with the same girls for years now, and every game ends the same way: someone cries because someone cheated.

Kid

We Break All the Rules When My Husband Is Out of Town

Replace stress and worry with a new outlook on your alone time with your kids ... and your big, empty bed.

Travel

5 Things I Want My Twins to Know

"You were a surprise but I’ve never been sorry. Never."

Parenting

When You Have a Teenager, the Fridge Is Always Empty

Every bottle or package inside the fridge is also empty. Including the ice cube trays.

Parenting

My 9-Year-Old Gave Me a Parenting Performance Review

Under "needs improvement," she noted, "You sweat too much when you run."

Parenting

I Hate the Phrase “Naturally Thin”

I cringe whenever I hear it, because the inherent message is that weight and health are beyond our control.

Body & Mind

11 Ways That Grocery Shopping in Djibouti Is Totally Different

Well for one, there's no such thing as Costco ...

Travel

My Kid Got Lice, and It Was Awesome (Really!)

When you have a teenage daughter, you'll do basically anything to get them to spend some time with you - even pick nits out of their hair.

Body & Mind

I Don’t Want to Give My Kids More Stuff for Christmas

The best gifts don't come in boxes or bags.

Parenting

8 Christmas Traditions We’re Skipping This Year

Living in Africa gives me the perfect excuse to pass on the whole "ugly Christmas sweater" fad.

Travel

I Will Do Anything for My Kids … Except These Three Things

If they want to have a snack at snack time, they're responsible for remembering to pack it.

Parenting

One Mom’s Guide to Faking It ’Til You Make It in Business Class

I may have felt like a total impostor, but if I was going to do it once, I was going to do it right.

Travel

No, My Family’s Not Leaving Africa Because of Ebola

The outbreak is 3,000 miles away, and I'm not going to let fear drive us from our home.

Parenting