Is parental oversharing on social media a cry for empathy, and for connection with other parents? What is it about kids’ crying and misbehavior that provoke such a reaction in us? It’s visceral. Whether your child is 2 weeks old or 2 years old, a child’s screams and weird behavior can rip at your inner […]
Until cultural standards for parenting shift, the absent conversation about what we expect of working dads will never happen, says Jessica Smock. When was the last time that you were in a doctor’s office and saw “Working Dad” magazine? Does your family subscribe to it? Probably not. Since it doesn’t exist. Sure, some dads—understandably annoyed […]
Marriage is not a cure-all for our social ills. So why do we obsess over it so much? Is there a marriage “crisis” in this country? As we wait for the Supreme Court to debate the future of single-sex marriage, it’s hard to miss the headlines speculating how much the institution of marriage is changing […]
Male friendships may lack the intimacy found in many female friendships, but men aren’t as burned by friends as women are. Female friendships are notoriously intense. They can be as passionate as the most all-consuming love affair, as close as a family bond, as supportive as the best therapist, but as toxic as the worst […]
Marissa Mayer was wrong to deny flexibility to Yahoo! workers, but is telecommuting the right long-term solution for employees with families? Let me be clear. I am not a fan of Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer, who until now has been most famous in the parenting world for her abbreviated maternity leave. At the time, I […]
Raising a healthy child does not require parents to sacrifice their own mental, emotional, and physical well-being, says Jessica Smock. As we mark the 50th anniversary of Betty Freidan’s The Feminine Mystique, I feel both grateful for the last decades’ progress in women’s labor force participation, educational accomplishments, and gender role attitudes, but also discouraged […]
Being a better mother can sometimes mean taking care of your own needs first. Would you rather be described as bold, active, sociable,and dynamic? Or, rather, as sensitive, quiet, and serious? Outgoing, engaging, and a leader? Or contemplative, reserved, and uncertain? And do you associate either of these temperamental extremes with either powerful males or […]
