Family Dynamics

What makes a family? Learn about traditional and non-traditional family relationships, including single-parent families, families with gay parents, military families, and more. Try these tips for making your family work regardless of your family make-up.

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I Didn't Know English Well When I Moved to the US—and It Was Little Gestures From Others That Made All The Difference

I Didn't Know English Well When I Moved to the US—and It Was Little Gestures From Others That Made All The Difference

When I arrived in the United States from Argentina with my family a few years ago, adjusting to a new culture was hard. Here's what my journey in a new place without knowing the language fluently has been like.
Man on Reddit Tells Sister to Lower Her Dating Standards Because She's a Single Mom

Man on Reddit Tells Sister to Lower Her Dating Standards Because She's a Single Mom

What she's looking for? A good-looking guy who makes a decent living and understands that her kids come first. How dare she.
Inside the Mind of 'Family Annihilators'

Inside the Mind of 'Family Annihilators'

Netflix's new documentary American Murder: The Family Next Door explains what led Chris Watts to kill his family. He's just one of many family annihilators to make the news. Experts explain what leads these killers to do the unimaginable.
Shouldering the Mental Load on Your Own

Shouldering the Mental Load on Your Own

Single parents often carry the pressures of parenting on their own and burnout comes hard and fast. Relief does exist in the form of a support village—here's what to know and how to create yours.
The Mental Load When There Are Two Moms to Carry the Burden

The Mental Load When There Are Two Moms to Carry the Burden

There's an overwhelming expectation in our society that moms are naturally better caregivers than dads and they're expected to be able to handle more of it as a result. This leads to a mental load imbalance in two-parent heterosexual households. But the reality is gender does not define parenting abilities and raising kids in a same-sex, two-mom household has its own share of burdens to navigate.
The Mental Load of the Black Mother

The Mental Load of the Black Mother

It was only after the death of George Floyd that I realized just how much racial injustice affects the way I parent my two Black sons and how it's taken its toll on my mental health.

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How We Talk About Dads Adds to the Mental Load on Moms

How We Talk About Dads Adds to the Mental Load on Moms

It's often reported that moms carry a bulk of the weight of parenting alone, but research shows that's not the case. By leaving dads out of the conversation, we are adding onto both the stress they feel and the pressures moms face. 
The Changing Face of the American Family

The Changing Face of the American Family

Society has long idolized the nuclear family—two married heterosexual parents of the same race with two biological children. But statistics show that ideal is best left to the Cleavers. Take a look at the new norm. 
Transgender Parents Are Left Out of the Parenting Discourse—and the Pandemic Makes That Abundantly Clear

Transgender Parents Are Left Out of the Parenting Discourse—and the Pandemic Makes That Abundantly Clear

My Partner and I Both Use Wheelchairs: This Is How We Parent Despite Our Disabilities

My Partner and I Both Use Wheelchairs: This Is How We Parent Despite Our Disabilities

As Black Parents Raising a White Child, We Face Racism Every Day

As Black Parents Raising a White Child, We Face Racism Every Day

Documenting My Grandfather's Experience of the Holocaust Taught Me About the Resilience of Fatherhood

Documenting My Grandfather's Experience of the Holocaust Taught Me About the Resilience of Fatherhood

11 Ways Single Parents Are Staying Sane While Social Distancing

From their favorite apps for virtual hangouts to figuring out how to fit in a workout, single moms share their best tips on staying happy and healthy amidst the chaos of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Are ‘Granny Pods’ Really the Ideal Guest Room for Grandparents?

Are ‘Granny Pods’ Really the Ideal Guest Room for Grandparents?

'I Had 4 Babies in 13 Months': How IVF, Surrogacy, and a Surprise Pregnancy Grew a Loving Family

'I Had 4 Babies in 13 Months': How IVF, Surrogacy, and a Surprise Pregnancy Grew a Loving Family

This Is How to Introduce Your Teenager to Your New Partner

This Is How to Introduce Your Teenager to Your New Partner

As More Women Under 40 Are Diagnosed With Breast Cancer, Is 'Hospital Bed Mom' the New Face of Parenting?

As More Women Under 40 Are Diagnosed With Breast Cancer, Is 'Hospital Bed Mom' the New Face of Parenting?

Mom Loses Her Husband Days Before She Almost Lost Her Son—Now She Takes Nothing for Granted

Mom Loses Her Husband Days Before She Almost Lost Her Son—Now She Takes Nothing for Granted

When 'One More Baby' is Quintuplets: 'We Became a Family of Nine Overnight!'

When 'One More Baby' is Quintuplets: 'We Became a Family of Nine Overnight!'

Single Moms vs. Single Dads: Examining the Double Standards of Single Parenthood

Single Moms vs. Single Dads: Examining the Double Standards of Single Parenthood

Second-Parent Adoption Was the Only Option My Wife Had to Gain Parental Rights of Our Kid

Second-Parent Adoption Was the Only Option My Wife Had to Gain Parental Rights of Our Kid

'A Cure Didn't Come in Time for Our Daughter, But We're Not Giving Up': Hamilton Family Opens Up About Losing Their 3 Year Old to Epilepsy & Fighting to End the Disease

'A Cure Didn't Come in Time for Our Daughter, But We're Not Giving Up': Hamilton Family Opens Up About Losing Their 3 Year Old to Epilepsy & Fighting to End the Disease

The LGBTQ Community's Struggle for Paid Parental Leave is Very Real

The LGBTQ Community's Struggle for Paid Parental Leave is Very Real

As a Gay Dad I Was Always Intimidated By the Suburbs, Until I Moved There

As a Gay Dad I Was Always Intimidated By the Suburbs, Until I Moved There

Having a Second Child Made Me Miss My Time With My First: Here's What I Did About It

Having a Second Child Made Me Miss My Time With My First: Here's What I Did About It

How My Cerebral Palsy Became My Parenting Super Power

How My Cerebral Palsy Became My Parenting Super Power

We Fled Afghanistan for America After Insurgents Threatened Our Family & Now We Help Refugee Families Like Us

We Fled Afghanistan for America After Insurgents Threatened Our Family & Now We Help Refugee Families Like Us

Couple's Emotional Surrogacy Journey is Documented in Touching Photos

Couple's Emotional Surrogacy Journey is Documented in Touching Photos

I'm a Single Mom and I Want to Stay That Way—Stop Trying to Get Me to Date

I'm a Single Mom and I Want to Stay That Way—Stop Trying to Get Me to Date

I Never Expected to Be Investigated by Child Welfare Caseworkers, But I Was

I Never Expected to Be Investigated by Child Welfare Caseworkers, But I Was

I Get Mom-Shamed For My Children's Age Gap, But I Think It's the Best Way to Have Kids

I Get Mom-Shamed For My Children's Age Gap, But I Think It's the Best Way to Have Kids

I Never Got Over The Trauma of My Mother's Abandonment, Until I Became A Mom

I Never Got Over The Trauma of My Mother's Abandonment, Until I Became A Mom

From Toxic Mother to Loving Grandmother: How I Learned to Forgive My Mom After My Son Was Born

From Toxic Mother to Loving Grandmother: How I Learned to Forgive My Mom After My Son Was Born

5 Immigrant Family Stories That Will Change Your Idea of What It Means to Be American

5 Immigrant Family Stories That Will Change Your Idea of What It Means to Be American

Parenting My Trans Son is Easy, Changing Policies to Help Him is Hard

Parenting My Trans Son is Easy, Changing Policies to Help Him is Hard

'Having a Stroke as a New Mom Changed Everything, but I'm Treating It Like a Gift'

'Having a Stroke as a New Mom Changed Everything, but I'm Treating It Like a Gift'

How Parents Can Foster the Bond Between Siblings Divided Between Two Homes

How Parents Can Foster the Bond Between Siblings Divided Between Two Homes

I’m a Single-Ish Mom And I Have No Regrets

I’m a Single-Ish Mom And I Have No Regrets

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