I started obsessing over my son's school supply list. I realized I was just anxious about him starting middle school.

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a bus filled with middle school kids
The author was worried about her middle schooler.

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Both of my kids recently started dating and their breakups are hard on me, too. I'm also invested in their relationships.

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Terri Peters with her two kids standing outside in front of trees.
Terri Peters was surprised by how hard it is for her when her kids go through breakups.

Courtesy Terri Peters

I'm an American mom living in Germany. The Snoo, nanny shares, and stroller wagons are not very popular here.

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A mother claps as her baby looks around in a stroller wagon
A mother with her baby in a stroller wagon

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I was a stepmom before I became a biological mom. It's different, but both roles are important.

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A pregnant mother watches over her two young children placing stickers on a board.
A pregnant mother looks over her two young creative children.

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When I was a kid, I moved every few months. Now that I'm a parent, I focus on creating stability for my family.

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Tiffany Nieslanik with her husband and kids standing against a patterned wall.
Tiffany Nieslanik with her husband and kids.

Credit: Chelsea Pas of Friends & Lovers Photography

When I got married, I still did all of the housework and started to resent my husband. We had to learn how to be a team.

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Ashley Archambault next to her husband surrounded by greenery
The writer, left, and her husband, right, learned to work as a team to do chores.

Courtesy of Ashley Archambault

I'm a millennial who can finally afford to live alone. But I choose to live with a roommate so I don't feel lonely.

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two girls sitting on a couch, leaning on each other
The writer, not pictured, loves living with a roommate.

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I've never wanted kids, and I love my child-free life. I value my independence more than anything.

Tech Insider : Travel
Monique Lindner and a dog smiling by the water.
Monique Lindner lives a child-free life.

Courtesy Monique Lindner

My husband and I are retired and travel a lot. We paid for our 4 adult kids to meet us in Italy.

Tech Insider : Travel
A group of people sitting at a table and toasting red wine.

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My mom had me at 22. Having a young mother has helped us become close friends in adulthood.

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selfie of jamie valentino and his mother
The author, left, has a young mom, right.

Courtesy of Jamie Valentino

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