I kept my married name when I divorced. My children did not.
I figured my married last name united me to my kids as a family. Some of them decided to change their last names to my maiden one without telling me.
Essay
I moved my son out of New York to protect him when he was young — 14 years later, he was shot and killed there
Michele Morgan Bolton tragically lost her son in a mass shooting near the New York town she'd moved out of to protect her son from school bullies.
I accepted the first job I was offered out of college and ended up hating it. Quitting led to my dream career.
It took months to find a job after college and I accepted the first offer I got. It wasn't right for me, and quitting was the best move I ever made.
I help busy people organize their digital clutter. Here are 5 features you should start using on your phone and laptop immediately.
I was trained by Marie Kondo to declutter homes but digital clutter was always the elephant in the room. Here are five strategies for dealing with it.
I took my 14-year-old on a cruise to Hawaii. Strangers kept telling him how lucky he was to have me as a parent.
I took my 14-year-old on a dream trip with no wifi to reconnect. Strangers told him how lucky he was to have me as a parent.
I moved to Mexico to be with my long-distance fiancé. It was a disaster, and I left him a few months later.
Less than a year after meeting my fiancé, I moved to Mexico to be with him. We broke up a few months later and I learned a lot from the experience.
I moved with my fiancé from DC to Arkansas to save money. It was actually more expensive there, and 5 months later, we broke up.
Tyler Donohue and her fiancé moved to Bentonville, AR, with dreams of a larger space and cheaper cost of living. The illusion cracked quickly.
I always say 'yes' when my kids ask to host or attend a sleepover. My parents didn't allow them, and I always felt left out.
Parents should be allowing more sleepovers. They teach kids to trust their own instincts and let them know that you trust their judgement.
I had a meltdown in front of my 5 kids. It taught me how to be a better parent.
A chaotic morning led me to have a meltdown in front of my five children. It taught me that I needed to be more transparent about my own feelings.
Becoming a mom transformed me at work. I realized how inflexible I had been.
Becoming a mom changed how I work and support others. Here's what I wish I'd understood sooner and how to build workplaces that truly work for parents.
I'm in med school and refuse to take on student loan debt. I'm living frugally and have taken 2 years off to build a financial cushion.
I put my education on hold so I could earn enough money to pay for my tuition. I also want to graduate debt-free, so I'm sacrificing a lot.
We took our 2 kids on vacation with extended family. There were tense moments, but beautiful times, too.
My husband and I took our two kids on vacation with my in-laws and his brother's family. It was hard for me to relax at first but we had a good time.
Snack duty at my child's preschool nearly broke me. Then I decided to stop caring about kale chips.
I sent in bananas and Cheetos as a snack for the preschool class. At pickup, there was a note on the whiteboard that made me feel shamed.
I became a mom in my 40s. It made me healthier, more creative, and bold enough to launch a business during naptime.
I enrolled to be a foster parent and ended adopting my son. Becoming a parent in my 40s made me braver.
I came of age during the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' era, so attending my nephew's same-sex wedding was eye-opening. It changed my view on marriage.
I grew up during a time when queer relationships were hidden, not celebrated. Attending my nephew's same-sex wedding was life-changing for me.
I thought I was doing everything right as a parent. Then, my son started high school.
When her son's grades slipped, Samantha Wood tried everything she could. It didn't help, and she had to rethink her parenting approach altogether.
My friend Bryan is 97 and I'm 40. He still lives independently and is an inspiration to me.
My friend Bryan is 97 and lives independently. He cooks for himself most days and stays social. His positivity is the main secret to his longevity.
Long road trips with kids can be hard. Our family practices acts of kindness along the way to break up the drive.
I encouraged my kids to embrace compassion and connection with others on our family road trips. These acts of kindness have become a tradition for us.
I built a fun, cost-effective backyard for my kids. It's helping us save money by avoiding family summer vacations.
Instead of spending money on day trips or family vacations to keep my kids entertained all summer, I built a backyard they love. We love staying home.
My husband and I sold everything to travel full-time. We keep to a $3,000 monthly budget and have strategies to keep costs down.
At 55, my husband and I sold nearly everything to travel full-time. We have strategies to keep costs down and we stay connected to our family at home.