Becoming a parent has changed how I approach friendships. I’ve stopped people-pleasing and let go of relationships that don’t serve me.
The author (not pictured) has become more discerning about her friendships since she became a parent. I’ve always been a people pleaser, and once I flew the coop, I also became an adventure seeker. In my 20s, I enjoyed living in other places, traveling the country, and meeting new people with different backgrounds and wide,…
I had my daughter at 19 and needed to go on welfare. Now, we run a million-dollar business together.
Traci Szemkus had her daughter Lyrik when she was 19. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Traci Szemkus, cofounder of WorkPlay Branding. It has been edited for length and clarity. I grew up in a very small, tight-knit farming community in Iowa. That’s where I learned about hard work. Farmers never stop…
I commuted 5 hours a day, 3 days a week for a year. I quit and pivoted my career to spend more time with my daughter.
Alexandra Kelly now enjoys afterschool afternoons with her daughter. For me, the COVID-19 pandemic gave me the unexpected benefit of starting my parenthood journey working from home. Working from home isn’t something I’ve always wanted to do, but I was completely naive to think that I could undertake the demands of commuting to an office…
I never buy birthday presents for kids’ parties. They often miss the mark and unwrapping them is chaos, so I give money instead.
We suffered a severe case of present fatigue after my son’s birthday party (not pictured). After that, I vowed to never buy presents when attending a kid’s party again. When my older son turned 5 last year, we invited his whole class to his birthday party. We hosted a rowdy group of 30 kids disappearing…
My son is in 5th grade and the only one of his friends without a phone. I’m still holding off on getting him one.
The author’s son has been asking for a cellphone. My son is nearing the end of fifth grade. He is actively begging me for a phone before the end of the school year so that he may keep in touch with his friends over the summer, but I’m very hesitant. Since he claims that all…
I used to return everything I bought from Target. I thought it was the ultimate parenting hack — I was wrong.
The author (not pictured) used to return everything she bought at Target. It all started with matching family outfits. I wanted a family portrait in which my family of seven wore similar outfits — some combo of pink and white. I spent hundreds of dollars at Target on shoes, dresses, pants, and shirts. After the…
I moved in with my grandparents thinking it was temporary. It’s been 3 years and the best decision I’ve made.
The author moved in with her grandparents three years ago. In July 2022, I moved back to my grandparents’ house, thinking it would be temporary. After a decade away for college and work, I saw it as a reset before finding my next place. My plan was simple: settle into my new job, find an…
I bought an 8-foot-tall teddy bear from Costco. It was $300, and my kids love it.
The author accidentally bought a giant teddy from Costco. When I was 7 years old, my grandmother asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I told her I wanted a giant teddy bear, and so she set out to find one that would qualify as “giant.” Much to my parents’ disappointment, she found a…
We found out how much Trump’s tariffs are expected to cost you this year
Economists and supply chain experts told B-17 the average consumer will spend about $4,000 more this year on staples from food to apparel due to cost increases caused by Donald Trump’s tariffs. If you thought the cost of groceries was high before, economists and supply chain experts have some bad news. President Donald Trump on…
