Parenting

Teenage girl sharing problems with her mother in the room.

I fixed everything for my oldest daughter and it backfired. I'm raising my youngest to be independent.

5 min read

I was a stay-at-home mom. Now, I'm a fashion influencer in her 50s with brand deals and a podcast.

4 min read

A man and woman embrace while standing in front of a building with wood siding.

I show love by taking care of everything. It was exhausting and nearly ruined my 15-year marriage.

My love language is acts of service, but I was one unloaded dishwasher away from a full-blown meltdown. I had to change to protect my marriage.

5 min read

I will track my daughter on Life360 when she goes to college in the fall — and it's nonnegotiable

My daughter is heading to college, and I plan to track her on Life360 for at least the first few months. But I may also track her for all four years.

4 min read

Mom and child posing for photo in dining room

I thought getting an Alexa would be good for our family. Instead, it ruined our manners.

At first my 5-year-old was into having a smart assistant. But slowly we started yelling and being rude to our Alexa. I had to put the device away.

4 min read

Shea Karssing sitting on a leather couch smiling for the camera in business attire

I was the person who could handle anything, but then I became a mom

Shea Karssing was addicted to achievement. She'd launched a business, completed an Ironman, and published a book. Becoming a mom changed everything.

4 min read

A teen girl shops for a new cell phone in a store.

My teen asked for a $28 phone case that she didn't need. I used that as an opportunity to teach her about wants versus needs.

Like all teens, mine wants a lot of things, so I have to say 'no' quite often. Here's how I'm keeping that from ruining our relationship.

4 min read

Woman wearing a yellow knit cap and long-sleeve shirt stretching before going jogging in a park.

Becoming a parent in my 40s made me rethink my health. My daughter deserves a mom who is strong, present, and energized.

I got pregnant at 42, and being an older mom made me rethink my health. I now exercise regularly and getting good sleep is non-negotiable.

4 min read

My baby hit his head in the airplane bathroom. I obsessed over his health for the entire trip.

My 10-month-old accidentally bumped his head while getting his diaper changed in the plane. I obsessed about his health during our entire trip.

4 min read

I'm trying to raise my kids to be independent, but my husband still wants to baby them. It's causing issues in our marriage.

I'm teaching my kids to be independent by allowing them to cook and clean for themselves. But my husband wants them to be completely dependent on him.

4 min read

My family takes turns making dinner. It's helped us connect with our teens.

5 min read

Walt Disney world castle (left); a toddler holding a first visit pin (right)

I'm a lifelong Disney World fan who brought my toddler for the first time. It wasn't anything like I expected.

What's the best age to take a kid to Disney World? There's no straightforward answer, but here are toddler travel tips to make the most of your trip.

8 min read

John Schlindwein (front center) with his daughter (left), son (right), and wife (back center) all smiling for the camera

RTO robbed me of precious bonding time with my kids. I've learned to connect with them in different ways.

John Schlindwein had been working from home for two years but was called back to the office in 2022. It immediately changed his family dynamic.

5 min read

Grandfather holds the hand of his grandson at the beach

I retired at 41 to spend time with my grandkids. I supplemented my income with part-time work.

I retired early because I wanted to spend time with my grandkids. I lived off of my military pension, part-time work, and I also learned watchmaking.

4 min read

I bought an 8-foot-tall teddy bear from Costco. It was $300, and my kids love it.

I wanted to go big for my kids' birthday and bought a giant teddy bear. They have played with it nonstop but it takes up half the playroom.

3 min read

I moved in with my grandparents thinking it was temporary. It's been 3 years and the best decision I've made.

In 2022 I moved in with my parents thinking it'd be temporary. I still live there, but it's just my granddad and me. I've learned to slow down.

4 min read

a woman placing items she bought at Target on the counter

I used to return everything I bought from Target. I thought it was the ultimate parenting hack — I was wrong.

I've been returning almost everything I buy from Target. I thought I was just ridding my house of clutter and preventing overspending. I was wrong.

4 min read

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.

He claims all his friends have cellphones and he is missing out. But after having been a teacher, I know how disruptive phones can be for kids.

4 min read

A child holds a stack of colorfully wrapped presents at an outdoor birthday party.

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 5th birthday. After that, I vowed to never buy presents when attending a kid's party.

4 min read

Alexandra R. Kelly in a black leather jacket smiling for the camera

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 was commuting five hours, three days a week to a half-empty office where she barely spoke to anyone. Something had to change.

5 min read

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 when she was 19. She went on welfare, including food stamps. In 2024 her business with her daughter broke $1 million.

4 min read

A composite image of Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen.

Denise Richards says there was no co-parenting with her ex Charlie Sheen: 'I parent my way. He parents his way'

Denise Richards shares two daughters — Sami and Lola, both grown up now — with Charlie Sheen, whom she was married to from 2002 to 2006.

3 min read

A group of friends sitting in a cafe chatting, one of them is sitting with a child.

Becoming a parent has changed how I approach friendships. I've stopped people-pleasing and let go of relationships that don't serve me.

My approach to friendships changed when I became a parent. I learned about healthy boundaries, stopped people-pleasing, and am more discerning.

4 min read

When my newborn was in the NICU, people showed up to support us. I've made a point to pay it forward.

My 2-day-old was hospitalized with bacterial sepsis. Our family and friends supported us, and their generosity moved me. I try to pay it forward.

3 min read

Rear view of mother and daughter embracing sitting on bed

I have 4 kids and my best friend is childless. She supports me in ways my mom friends can't.

We've known each other for 25 years and despite being child free, she shows up for my family. She allows me to step out of my role as a mom.

5 min read

Woman wearing a hat and sunglasses, pointing to her sweatshirt that says "Canadian Built" with trees in the background.

I'm a single mom with 4 sons. For my 50th birthday, I took a solo road trip to rediscover who I was before them.

She became a mom at 21, and her adult life has been focused on raising four sons. Her goal for the road trip was to enjoy some "me time."

5 min read

A young man stands at a doorway holding a box of groceries as a older woman holds the door open for him.

I have a revolving door of college students and young adults staying at my home. Instead of paying rent, they take care of some chores for me.

After my husband died, my house felt empty. Now, I have a revolving door of young adults staying with me. Instead of paying rent, they do chores.

4 min read

Two boys playing street hockey on a residential street in the fall

I'm giving my kids the 90s childhood I grew up in: unstructured play outside and supervised screen time

My kids and our neighbors' kids play outside without adults in the afternoon. It reminds me of the childhood I had with unstructured play.

4 min read

A woman sat at a kitchen table calculating her bills

I'm a single mom who lives paycheck to paycheck. I once made my son do food deliveries with me to pay for his dinner.

As a single mother of three kids, I'm struggling to make ends meet. I'm constantly thinking about money and the budget, making me feel like a bad mom.

4 min read

Sonaya Williams in a green blazer smiling for the camera

I had become the distracted, workaholic mom I never wanted to be. Moving to Qatar helped me be a more present parent and now my daughters are thriving.

When Sonaya Williams couldn't promise her daughter she'd make the school play, she knew something had to change. She found that something in Qatar.

4 min read

A mother and daughter stand in a grassy area while embracing.

I've adjusted how I parent my college-age daughter. I need to trust that I've taught her to do the right thing.

Now that my daughter is in college, our relationship is evolving. I've made 5 major adjustments to how I parent her.

4 min read

I created an AI version of my mom. What it told me freaked me out.

Artificial intelligence may not replace my job. But could it replace my mom?

23 min read

Three women posing for a selfie together

I debated not going back to work and staying home with my kids. I'm glad I didn't because day care gave me my group of friends.

I almost didn't send my kids to day care, but I'm glad I did. Through it I met my core group of friends who are like family now.

4 min read

I'm a father who never gave much thought to toxic masculinity. I'm still figuring out how to address the topic with my sons.

Toxic masculinity is a problem I can't ignore when raising my two sons. I'm trying to teach them that they can openly express their emotions.

4 min read

I take my teen daughter out on monthly dates with me. It saved our relationship.

As a mom of three, I realized I was often overwhelmed at home. Taking my teen out for time alone together has helped us have a better relationship.

3 min read

My baby screamed during a flight, and I broke all my parenting rules trying to soothe her. A stranger still told me I was a good mom.

I broke all my parenting rules while trying to soothe my screaming baby during a cross-country flight. A stranger said what I needed to hear.

5 min read

Black woman reading problematic news over cell phone in the kitchen.

I live in the UK and my parents are in Australia. It's hard to care for them as they age, but I'm not uprooting my family.

It's difficult having aging parents who live on the other side of the world. But I love the life I've built and I'm not uprooting my family.

5 min read

A man and woman lean over a kitchen island while looking at a laptop.

Every Saturday, my husband and I meet over coffee to plan meals for the week. It's great for our relationship and budget.

My husband and I meet every weekend over coffee to plan our meals and schedule for the next week. It feels like more of a date than a chore.

3 min read

Shiraine and Barrett McLeod hold their young son, Lejend.

A millennial couple who used IVF explain how they navigated the $18,000 bill and skepticism from family

Barrett and Shiraine McLeod told BI about their experience with IVF, how they covered the cost, and tips on navigating insurance.

5 min read

Rachel Santana and the Dior bag she purchased during her gender reveal.

A woman saw couples doing gender reveals with Build-A-Bears. She took things up a notch by doing the same at Dior.

Rachel Santana Krtausch could have used balloons, cake, or fireworks for her gender reveal. Instead, she bought a blue Dior purse to celebrate.

4 min read

selfie of Candy Mickels Mejia and her daughter wearing a university of texas shirt

My daughter rejected an offer from her dream college because of the costs. I was shocked when she chose a state school instead.

My daughter was ecstatic when accepted into the prestigious University of Chicago. Once she saw how much it cost, she chose a cheaper state school.

4 min read

A woman carrying her infant son outside. Both are wearing sunglasses, and the mom is holding a small US flag.

I'm happy we waited until our 40s to have kids. When we were younger, my husband was gone half the year for the Navy.

Kristina Wright waited until she was in her 40s to have her first child. Her husband was in the Navy, and life was hard enough just by herself.

4 min read

A woman wearing a pink shirt and black shorts stands in a restaurant holding an iced coffee.

As a busy mom, I started an online T-shirt business expecting to make passive income. I lasted only 3 months.

Making passive income selling T-shirts online wasn't as simple as social media posts said it would be. Instead, I was constantly stressed out.

4 min read

A boy dressed in a suit sits with his hands folded at a dining table while a turkey dinner is on display.

I sent my 9-year-old son to an etiquette camp. It might sound old-fashioned, but it taught him confidence and kindness.

I sent my son to a three-day etiquette camp. The goal wasn't to turn him into a miniature aristocrat but to help him learn confidence and protocol.

5 min read

a teenage boy looking at his phone while sitting in front of a laptop

I'm struggling to control my teen's screen time. I'm worried about who he'll become if he spends all his time on his phone.

As my teenage son gets older, he spends most of his time in front of a screen. His screen time is becoming difficult to control, and I'm worried.

4 min read

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