Jackie Semmens

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Jackie Semmens is a freelancer writer from Helena, Montana. She is the mother to three children – two rambunctious boys and soon-to-be rambunctious baby girl. Jackie landed in Montana after growing up in Virginia, and is still trying to get used to the winters ten years later. She has a degree in Religious Studies from the College of William and Mary and a Masters in Medical Anthropology and Public Health from the University of Montana.

Jackie writes about primarily about parenting, and her interests also include public policy, public health, and the importance of exposing kids to nature. She has written for a variety of publications including Scary Mommy, Mamalode, America Magazine, and was a former contributor to Parent.Co.

The season of pandemic parenting

My daughter asked me the other day, “When it’s Christmas time, does Coronavirus go off?” It wasn’t a bad question. We’ve been discussing the seasons lately. First came fall, with Halloween and Thanksgiving. After the turkey, then it would be Christmas, with candy canes and a tree in the living room. Simple enough. Except where… Continue reading The season of pandemic parenting

The top of the hill

My eyes weren’t even quite open when I heard feet stomping and doors slamming. So it was going to be one of those days. The kid had a reason to be upset, and I knew he had a reason to be upset. But I also desperately wanted him to just deal with it so we… Continue reading The top of the hill

The day you were born

Tomorrow you turn two, my daughter, and it seems more important than picking up toys or finishing the dishes or figuring out what we will have for dinner tomorrow that I write down the story of how you came into this world. It started the same as it had with your brothers – with work.… Continue reading The day you were born

My daughter, the runner.

I believe in the importance of public service, so I’m gonna tell you a little story about my day yesterday so that you all feel better about yourselves. So yesterday was Sunday morning and my husband and I woke up to preform our weekly Sunday morning ritual – coming up with all the different reasons… Continue reading My daughter, the runner.

Mommy didn’t say truck

My oldest child has always been blessed with the gift of gab. He was speaking in two word sentences before he was 18 months and chatting our ears off well before his second birthday. And at about two and a handful of months, we took a trip with my sweet in-laws. My mother-in-law had baked… Continue reading Mommy didn’t say truck

I’ve got some questions.

Moms and dads who are better at this parenting thing than me, I’ve got some questions for you. One question really – HOW? How?? (This is less of a question and more of a ‘something I’d like to yell across the street at you’.) I have no idea how you pull it all off. Or… Continue reading I’ve got some questions.

Work together

Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in working together on a project. My areas of specialty include: Parenting Public health Montana state policy Economic insecurity Children and nature Family-related public policy If you are a non-profit looking to expand your capacity for publishing reports, or need additional blog posts, I can… Continue reading Work together

Elsewhere

For a sample of my work published on other sites, please check out these clips.   “Yes, millennials like brunch. That’s not why they’re skipping mass.” America Magazine, September, 2017. “Why the kids crashing interview video is a triumph for women,” Mamalode, March 2017. “We need to stop demeaning ‘Women’s work’, for the sake of… Continue reading Elsewhere