I'm a teacher and a mother of 4 who hates mornings. Doing these 3 things makes them bearable.

Tech Insider
Mother of three prepping breakfast at home while two children sit at the counter and one child is crawling on the counter.
Nicole Johnson (not pictured) has figured out a morning routine that works for her.

Getty Images

We asked 4 DINKs how they make new child-free friends

Tech Insider
Two couples with dogs
On left, Bing Gonzalez with her husband and their dog. On right, Sandra Kushnir with her husband and their dog.

Bing Gonzales/Sandra Kushnir

I co-parent my kid with other parents of only children. We give each other a break and have developed close friendships.

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The author (right) with one of her friends while on vacation with their kids and partners.
The author (right) loves co-parenting her child, Finch, with other parents of only children.

Courtesy of Elizabeth Doerr

After my brother died, I felt guilty when experiencing joy. I'm learning to let go of that.

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A woman rests her head against. sunny wall, and closes her eyes.
A woman rests her head against the wall

Fiordaliso/ Getty Images

Illinois is launching a basic income pilot for 400 families in the child welfare system in the hopes of reducing maltreatment

Tech Insider : Economy, Economy, Politics
A mother holds her toddler, who is playing with a model airplane
An Illinois guaranteed basic income program will give cash to 800 families involved in the child welfare system.

d3sign / Getty Images

Having an only child has brought out the kid in me. I play with him all the time and it's reminded me of my own childhood.

Tech Insider
Nicole Findlay and her son playing tennis.
The author and her son play together all the time.

Courtesy of Nicole Findlay

I became a first-time mom at 43, and I consider my age a plus

Tech Insider
The author with her baby and husband sitting inside at a diner while she is holding her baby.
The author became a mother for the first time at 43.

Courtesy of Blake Turck

Instead of spending money on camp or day care, I kept my daughter home this summer. We got more quality time, but it was harder to work.

Tech Insider
The author and his daughter standing outside in front of an Amtrak train and smiling.
The author got to spend more quality time with his daughter this summer.

Courtesy of Evan Porter

I'm a millennial mom of 3, and I rely on my mom's financial assistance

Tech Insider
Alyse Benoit wearing a green dress and holding her child standing in front of a tree on a patch of grass.
The author relies on her mom for financial assistance.

Courtesy of Alyse Benoit

A first-time homebuyer was renovating her 1940s fixer-upper with her dad. When he died, she turned it into a tribute to him.

Tech Insider
A side-by-side of a woman in a refinished attic and the same woman and her father renovating the space.
Bridget McGing renovated her home with her father.

Bridget McGing

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