Lifestyle
Why Your Family Needs More Unstructured Time
Why Your Family Needs More Unstructured Time Last Tuesday, I watched a father in my office pull out his phone to show me his family’s calendar. He scrolled. And scrolled. And scrolled some more. Soccer practice, piano lessons, tutoring, birthday parties, orthodontist appointments, and something called “enrichment club” that neither of us could quite define. […]
The Achievement Pressure Starting in Preschool
When Your Four-Year-Old Has a Better Resume Than You Did at Twenty Last week, I sat across from a mother who was nearly in tears because her preschooler hadn’t been accepted into the “advanced” pre-K program. Her daughter was four. Four. And already, this sweet, intelligent parent felt like she’d failed her child before kindergarten […]
What Your Family’s Busyness is Really About
What Your Family’s Busyness Is Really About Last Tuesday, I watched a mom in the grocery store parking lot. She was sitting in her car, engine off, staring at her phone calendar with the kind of expression you’d expect from someone decoding ancient hieroglyphics. Soccer practice, piano lessons, parent-teacher conferences, a work deadline, someone’s birthday […]
The Six Seconds That Can Save Any Argument
The Six Seconds That Can Save Any Argument Last Tuesday, my friend Sarah stood in her kitchen, face flushed, about to unleash what she later called “the mother of all lectures” on her teenage daughter about the unmade bed, the forgotten chores, and — let’s be honest — three months of accumulated frustration. Her mouth […]
What Your Clean House is Costing Your Connection
You Are Not Alone I watched a mother nearly cry over a pile of Legos in her living room. Not because she stepped on one (though that’s its own special agony), but because those scattered plastic bricks represented everything she felt she was failing at. “I just want one room that looks put together,” she […]
The Comparison Culture Poisoning Your Home
When Everyone Else’s Life Looks Like a Highlight Reel You’re scrolling through your phone at 9 PM, finally sitting down after a day that felt like herding cats through a tornado. And there it is: another post. A neighbor’s kid just got accepted into an elite summer program. Your cousin’s family is on their third […]
Why Your Family Needs a ‘No’ Philosophy
Why Your Family Needs a ‘No’ Philosophy Last Tuesday, I watched a mother at the playground say “yes” seventeen times in under ten minutes. Yes to the slide. Yes to the swings. Yes to a snack. Yes to another snack. Yes to just one more turn. Her face told a different story than her words […]
The Intimacy Killer Hiding in Plain Sight
The Intimacy Killer Hiding in Plain Sight Sarah sat across from her husband at their favorite restaurant — the one they’d been talking about trying for months. The food was incredible. The ambiance was perfect. And yet, as she watched him scroll through his phone between bites, she felt more alone than if she’d stayed […]
Why Your Marriage Needs More Conflict (Not Less)
Why Your Marriage Needs More Conflict (Not Less) Last Tuesday night, my neighbor Emily sat on her porch steps looking utterly defeated. “We never fight anymore,” she said, and I waited for her to smile — like this was good news. Instead, her eyes filled with tears. “We just… exist next to each other. Like […]
Why Your ‘Strong-Willed’ Child is Actually Your Greatest Gift
Why Your ‘Strong-Willed’ Child is Actually Your Greatest Gift It’s 7:43 AM on a Tuesday, and you’ve already negotiated three wardrobe changes, explained why we don’t eat ice cream for breakfast (again), and fielded the question “But why?” approximately seventeen times. Your coffee is cold, your patience is thinner than your daughter’s willingness to wear […]