WRITING
Writing is how I
figure out what I think.
I've been publishing since 2006. It started with a blog, which then led to a book, major media essays, and two active Substacks. The format has changed but the instinct hasn't: I write to tell stories, be real about the pain points, and find small ways to figure out a path forward. Since the very beginning the common pattern has been private messages where people share, "This is exactly what I was thinking but couldn’t put words to it."
THE NEWSLETTERS
WEEKLY
There’s Always A Story
My goal is to help spark reflection and uncover meaning in the small and large moments in life. I bring a nerdy, analytic lens to everything from recipe exploration to parenting to surviving dumpster fires, and more.
WEEKLY
Edit Your Life
A companion to the podcast, in this newsletter I lean into my “micro” approach, helping busy people find agency and joy through practical, doable micro goals and actions.
Coming Soon!
The concept is percolating in my brain which means it could launch in a matter of weeks. Stay tuned for a Diplomat newsletter, which will focus on insights from the field.
"People who write me say I'm able to articulate the things that are in their head — but they couldn't figure out how to say them."
ESSAYS + OP-EDS
Taking the conversation broader.
In 2021, I decided to try taking my ideas broader. Having never pitched major media before, I set a modest goal to see if I could place one piece that year. I ended up publishing over 20. My full list of clips is below, but here are three notable stories behind the stories.
THE WASHINGTON POST
The very first piece I pitched was Why working moms deserve a tantrum (and how to get through the remainder of the pandemic). The editor responded back quickly, and after a flurry of edits the piece went live at The Washington Post’s On Parenting vertical. The piece clearly hit a nerve for women and went viral on social media. It soon was picked up and featured in The Week and then I was interviewed about the story on BBC World News.
BOSTON GLOBE MAGAZINE
Boston Globe Magazine invited me to submit a pitch for their parenting issue. The resulting piece, Parents can care about education and still be OK writing this school year off, hit the top 10 leaderboard of all articles at The Boston Globe the day it went live. Editor Francis Storrs later tweeted, “There’s a great Carrie Fisher line: If you can get Paul Simon to write a song about you, do it. At Boston Globe Magazine, we say: If you can get Christine Koh to write an essay for you, do it.”
CNN
In the wake of the Atlanta Asian hate murders, CNN asked if I could write a tight turnaround parenting piece. It was the day before my daughter’s birthday and I was deep in my feelings about these murders, but I dug deep and turned on the jets. The resulting piece, How parents can support kids through (and beyond) the latest wave of anti-Asian American violence, led to an interview on NPR’s All Things Considered. CNN then invited me to be part of their lifestyle writing team.
CLIPS
The Washington Post
Tweens pull away from their parents. ‘Turning Red’ reminds us it’s normal.
Five ways parents eased up during the pandemic, and how it helped everyone
The pandemic has caused parents to slow down. Here’s how to preserve that pace.
Why the parental pandemic wall feels so bad right now, and what you can do about it
Why working moms deserve a tantrum (and how to get through the remainder of the pandemic)
Boston Globe Magazine
An ageist incident at work made my blood boil. Then I realized something essential.
My parents bought our family burial plots years ago. But my plans might change.
Women still make less at work. Follow this advice to negotiate for the pay you deserve
A former career isn’t a waste of time and money. It’s learning
My path to radical self-acceptance started with elastic waistband jeans
Parents can care about education and still be OK writing this school year off
CNN
Why you might be happier if you don't buy anything in Cyber Week
It's time to talk about money with your tweens and teens. Here's how
5 things you should know before you talk about consent with children
Sex ed conversations you need to have with your tween or teen
Big feelings are normal. How to help tweens and teens handle them
Experiencing Hulk rage and terrible sleep? It may be perimenopause — here's what to do
How parents can support kids through (and beyond) the latest wave of anti-Asian American violence
THE BOOK
Minimalist Parenting
The idea for Minimalist Parenting crystallized during an airplane ride. I had just spoken at a conference on my “do less of what you don’t want to do so you have space for what you care about” philosophy and the response to that talk was tremendous. An attendee said, “You should really write a book” so as I flew over the Eastern seabord, I sketched the table of contents and key themes I wanted to cover. It was essentially the book I wished I had when I became a parent — permission to do it differently, with the evidence to back it up.
I invited Asha Dornfest to co-author the book with me and I landed the book deal in a classically Christine unconventional way. I met a new publisher in Boston (then Bibliomotion) and said, “I have a great idea for a book and I think you want to publish it.” I sent them the proposal and they offered me a book deal. Minimalist Parenting was published in 2013 and was featured in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Redbook, NPR, and other fine media outlets. Still referenced over a decade after publication, the book is now available through Routledge.