Family

Judging Parents Online Is a National Sport

Whether they share their joys or their struggles, parents just can’t win on social media.

An Old Romantic Custom We Should Bring Back

The best gift you can give your Valentine is reading a poem out loud.

The Enduring Romance of Mixtapes

Why song curation is a love language

Attachment Style Isn’t Destiny

Our past experiences do shape our relationships. But we’re not doomed to repeat unhealthy patterns forever.

What’s the Smallest Amount of Therapy That’s Still Effective?

Many people make meaningful emotional progress in just a handful of sessions.

The Bizarre Relationship of a ‘Work Wife’ and a ‘Work Husband’

The work marriage is a strange response to our anxieties about mixed-gender friendships, heightened by the norms of a professional environment.

The Hidden Link Between Workaholism and Mental Health

Long hours on the job can temporarily ease the symptoms of depression and anxiety. But you’re better off leaving the office and facing your feelings head-on.

Dear Therapist: Can I Cut My Mom Off From My Children If She Won’t Seek Therapy?

She hasn’t been a great parent to me, and I don’t want her repeating those patterns with my future kids.

The Summer-Camp Feeding Frenzy Has Already Begun

The “every family for itself” approach to child care in the U.S. means parents’ options for three months of the year are shelling out for expensive camps, fighting for limited slots in affordable programs, or nothing.

Why Are Toy Commercials Still Like This?

Plenty of modern parents want their kids to play with whatever they like. But in ad-world, dolls are for girls, and trucks are for boys.

Nothing Drains You Like Mixed Emotions

Feeling conflicted can be even more distressing than feeling bad. Here’s how to manage it.

The Case for Public Child Care

Parents deserve the option.

How We Learned to Be Lonely

In the early days of the pandemic, many of us got used to solitude. It’s a habit we need to break.

How Children Conjure a Snow Day

Spoons under pillows, ice cubes in the toilet, and other rituals to call forth snow

The Quiet Profundity of Everyday Awe

That feeling—of being in the presence of something vast—is good for us. And, counterintuitively, it can often be found in completely unremarkable circumstances.

What It’s Like to Retire in Your Early 20s

Some former college athletes face the existential crisis of a career ending at a young age.

What Squirrels Taught Me About Life After Divorce

Only 25 percent of gray squirrels survive their first year. Success rates for second marriages are almost equally dire.

Partying Feels Different Now

Parties have always been about hope. After forgoing them for so long during the pandemic, that’s clearer than ever.

The Surprisingly Profound Power of Thank-You Notes

Looking back on the year, I make a mental list of everyone who supported me—and remember that no achievement is the result of my efforts alone.

The TV Shows That Helped My Dying Son Communicate

After my son got a brain tumor, his treatment left him unable to speak. Children’s shows that used the language program Makaton became a source of joy for our family.