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Family

Why so many families are “drowning in toys”
How to get through the holidays without going broke

America is in toy overload, and it might just be ruining fun.

By Anna North
How to host holiday gatherings without losing your mind
How to get through the holidays without going broke

Experts share tips on entertaining on a small budget — and an even smaller space.

By Rebecca Jennings
Guiding kids — and ourselves — through the election aftermathGuiding kids — and ourselves — through the election aftermath
Life

For now, I’m thinking locally.

By Anna North
Family estrangement doesn’t have to be forever
The HighlightMember Exclusive

Reconnecting with someone you’ve cut ties with isn’t easy — but it can be done.

By Fortesa Latifi
I don’t want children. I do want children. What should I do?
Future Perfect

How can you know if you truly want to be a parent?

By Sigal Samuel
Is Halloween less scary than it used to be?Is Halloween less scary than it used to be?
Life

Why we’ve said goodbye to the Goosebumps of our youth.

By Anna North
The surprising source of kids’ stress lurking on parents’ phonesThe surprising source of kids’ stress lurking on parents’ phones
Life

Grade-tracking apps are giving kids anxiety.

By Anna North
The new burnout generationThe new burnout generation
LifeMember Exclusive

Grind culture has come for the teens.

By Anna North
The itchy, not-too-terrifying truth about head liceThe itchy, not-too-terrifying truth about head lice
Life

The myths and realities about the itchiest childhood tradition.

By Anna North
A DNA test upended my family. Do I side with my grandmother — or her secret child?
Future Perfect

I don’t know what I owe my newfound relative.

By Sigal Samuel
The yellow school bus is in troubleThe yellow school bus is in trouble
LifeMember Exclusive

The disappearance of bus service is hurting kids around the country.

By Anna North
The scary truth about how far behind American kids have fallenThe scary truth about how far behind American kids have fallen
Education

Students of all ages still haven’t made up the ground they lost during the pandemic.

By Anna North
How do kids have fun? Inside the state of child’s play in 2024.How do kids have fun? Inside the state of child’s play in 2024.
Family

Kids are still playing, but they need help.

By Anna North
Raising a shy kid? You can help them open up.
Even Better

It’s all about getting them comfortable with the unfamiliar.

By Allie Volpe
I can’t take care of all my mom’s needs. Am I a monster?
Future Perfect

Introducing Your Mileage May Vary, an unconventional new advice column.

By Sigal Samuel
Your guide to the confusing, exciting, and utterly new world of Gen AlphaYour guide to the confusing, exciting, and utterly new world of Gen Alpha
Family

A newsletter about kids, for everyone.

By Anna North
Does being a gifted kid make for a burned-out adulthood?
Mental Health

How being labeled “gifted” can rearrange your life — for better and for worse.

By Constance Grady
The only child stigma, debunked
Parenting

Being an only child doesn’t mess you up for life. We promise.

By Charley Locke
Is your kid addicted to their phone? Here’s how to set smart boundaries.Is your kid addicted to their phone? Here’s how to set smart boundaries.
Even Better

A definitive guide to managing your children’s tech.

By Allie Volpe
Mothers and daughters fight— but it doesn’t have to be the end of the world
Parenting

How to handle tension in the teen years without ruining your relationship.

By Katie Reilly
Yes, you should prepare your kids for climate disastersYes, you should prepare your kids for climate disasters
Even Better

The catastrophic effects of climate change can happen anywhere. Here’s how to help your kids cope before, during, and after an emergency.

By Allie Volpe
Can we be actually normal about birth rates?Can we be actually normal about birth rates?
Future Perfect

Declining birth rates do matter, but we need to approach them thoughtfully.

By Kelsey Piper
The distinctly American fantasy of “French parenting”The distinctly American fantasy of “French parenting”
Child Care

The French: They’re just like us.

By Anna North
The Christian right is coming for divorce nextThe Christian right is coming for divorce next
Today, Explained newsletter

Some conservatives want to make it a lot harder to dissolve a marriage.

By Anna North
What your sibling birth order does — and doesn’t — explainWhat your sibling birth order does — and doesn’t — explain
Family

Are you destined to always be the “eldest daughter”?

By Allie Volpe
How to care for people in your life with intellectual disabilitiesHow to care for people in your life with intellectual disabilities
Even Better

A practical guide to navigating a fractured support system.

By Keren Landman, MD
Want financial security in America? Better get married.
Life

Couples get hundreds of legal and economic privileges single people don’t. If that feels unfair, it’s because it is.

By Anna North
Parenting advice you don’t need to stress about
Even Better

According to experts.

By Allie Volpe
Relationships aren’t always going to be totally balanced. That isn’t a bad thing.
Even Better

We shouldn’t give up on others so easily.

By Allie Volpe
How millennials learned to dread motherhood
Features

To our generation, being a mom looks thankless, exhausting, and lonely. Can we change the story?

By Rachel Cohen
You can’t even pay people to have more kidsYou can’t even pay people to have more kids
Social Policy

These countries tried everything from cash to patriotic calls to duty to reverse drastically declining birth rates. It didn’t work.

By Anna North
How to talk to a loved one about their health
Life

Compassionate ways to let a friend or family member know you’re looking out for them.

By Allie Volpe
Why influencers with 7, 8, or 10 kids are having a moment
Family

Americans are having smaller families. Why are we obsessed with large ones?

By Anna North
The world wants your kids to buy stuff. Here’s how to help them be less materialistic.
You should probably buy less stuff

Raising kids in our modern consumer culture is challenging. These tips can help.

By Anna North
6 questions to ask that will make caring for older relatives much easier6 questions to ask that will make caring for older relatives much easier
Even Better

Your parents or other loved ones could need you one day. Here’s how to get ready.

By Anna North
Baby boomers are aging. Their kids aren’t ready.
Health

Millennials are facing an elder care crisis nobody prepared them for.

By Anna North
Should you be friends with your kids?
Even Better

Parents can have a great relationship with their kids without being their friend.

By Allie Volpe
The limits of therapy-speak
Even Better

Why it’s so appealing to use pop psychology terms — and when to stop.

By Allie Volpe
Where are all the apartments for families?Where are all the apartments for families?
Policy

Cities are finally starting to build more housing — but not for people with kids.

By Rachel Cohen
Small acts of kindness matter more than you think
Even Better

Text a friend, write a thank-you note, compliment a stranger — people appreciate these gestures.

By Allie Volpe