On Losing a Daughter
The people we were died at the exact moment our child did.
Family
The Most Tortured Relationship in America
Monogamy is one of the last bipartisan ideals—even if people struggle to live up to it.
In Praise of ‘Difficult’ Kids
Feisty children can be exhausting. They also possess a moral fire that deserves cultivating.
The Endless Goodbye
More than a decade before my dad died, I lost him to dementia.
How to End a Conversation Without Making Up an Excuse
A certain notion of politeness requires pretending the ideal interaction would go on forever. That’s ridiculous.
Here’s 10,000 Hours. Don’t Spend It All in One Place.
Evidence shows that hyper-specialization is not the best strategy for happiness.
A Year at Home Showed People New Sides of Their Loved Ones
The pandemic made our worlds smaller, and as a result many came to know the people they live with more deeply.
Changing Your Mind Can Make You Less Anxious
Humans are programmed to think we’re right at all costs. Fighting that instinct will set you free.
Becoming a Parent During the Pandemic Was the Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Done
This completely different person I’ve become since I gave birth is someone virtually no one knows.
We Have to Grieve Our Last Good Days
Why people dwell on their final pre-pandemic memories
Snow Days May Never Be the Same
The availability of virtual learning means schools don’t necessarily need to shut down for the weather. But the loss of snow days is the loss of a source of joy for kids.
Work-Life Balance Has to Include Friendship
“We’re able to be our fully human, vulnerable, type-A selves with a group of people who get us in a way that your partner or your kids may not.”
A Counterintuitive Way to Cheer Up When You’re Down
When you most need to get happier, try giving happiness away.
There’s a Better Way to Parent: Less Yelling, Less Praise
When Michaeleen Doucleff met parents from around the world, she encountered millennia-old methods of raising good kids that made American parenting seem bizarre and ineffective.