The Most Tortured Relationship in America
Monogamy is one of the last bipartisan ideals—even if people struggle to live up to it.
Family
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.
Everyone Thinks They Need a NeeDoh
But no one can find one.
How Two Internet Nemeses Became Friends
“As you find more common ground with someone, they become more of a person.”
10 Practical Ways to Improve Happiness
For when you need advice that goes beyond “Be Danish”
Should Couples Merge Their Finances?
Couples’ choices about how to share money require trade-offs between togetherness and autonomy.
The Stepparent’s Dilemma
Who parents whom in a blended family? A popular, controversial approach to stepparenting teaches that if they’re not your kids, they’re not your responsibility.
Naming Objects Is the Opposite of Thoughtless Consumption
When we christen cars, instruments, and the other important possessions in our lives, we interact with them differently—and we may be more likely to appreciate them.
Sports Are Great Because They’re Pointless
The most trivial things can build the strongest relationships.
These Dreadful Days
If it feels like the vibe shifted to existential despair, you’re not alone. But it won’t always be this way.
How Homeownership Changes You
It’s not just a financial commitment. It can alter people’s relationships to a community, a place, and even time.
The Marriage Lesson That I Learned Too Late
The existence of love, trust, respect, and safety in a relationship is often dependent on moments you might write off as petty disagreements.
The Friendship Researchers Who Are Also Friends
“In our writing, it got to the point where we could no longer remember who wrote which sentences, or who came up with this or that idea.”