Family

Parent Diplomacy Is Overwhelming Teachers

And it’s only getting worse.

Don’t Let Love Take Over Your Life

The case for love-life balance

Jenisha From Kentucky

I came to New York sure of one thing—that no one could ever know my past.

America Has a Private-Beach Problem

A shockingly small portion of the shoreline is truly available to the public.

The Other Work Remote Workers Get Done

Telecommuting allows caregivers to manage a workload that is, if anything, way too big.

What Adults Forget About Friendship

Just catching up can feel stale. Playing and wasting time together like kids do is how you make memories.

Dear Therapist: I Feel Tremendously Guilty for Not Taking Care of My Aging, Alcoholic Mother

Distancing myself from her was heart-wrenching. It was also the healthiest choice.

A Crush Can Teach You a Lot About Yourself

There’s no harm in fantasies, even if you know they’ll never come true.

The Death of an Indispensable Person

Carmen Ayala, caretaker for Adele Halperin, the subject of The Atlantic’s September 2023 cover story, has died. She was 81.

Diamonds Are for Girls’ Best Friends

As marriage rates decline, the diamond industry is turning its eye to platonic relationships.

The Longest Relationships of Our Lives

As brothers and sisters grow up, what they do can determine whether they stay stuck in their childhood roles—or break free of them.

The New Old Dating Trend

Why is matchmaking having a renaissance?

The Ones We Sent Away

I thought my mother was an only child. I was wrong.

America’s Latest Health-Care Debacle Has an Absurd Cause

Millions of people are losing Medicaid because of paperwork.

Dear Therapist: My Husband Had a Relationship With His Best Friend

The man he says is “like a brother” to him turns out to have been more than that.

American Family Life Should Not Be This Volatile

Welcome to the age of tremors.

What Kind of Villain Doesn’t Clean Up After Their Dog?

You can lead a dog to grass, but you can’t make his human scoop.

The Gesture That Encapsulates Remote-Work Life

The “Zoom wave” is awkward, corny, and vital.

The Curious Personality Changes of Older Age

When people lose the ability to control their circumstances, their selves sometimes evolve instead.

Minimalism Is Neat, but Clutter Makes a Home

I don’t love the look of mismatched junk, but the mess satisfies a deeper emotional need.