My husband and I paid for our own college degrees. We told our 3 kids they have to do the same.

Tech Insider : Business
Rebecca Hastings and he family in a college form room
The author (left) and her husband told their kids they had to pay for college themselves.

Courtesy of Rebecca Hastings

My 15-year-old daughter wants a summer job. I want her to enjoy being a kid.

Tech Insider : Business
A teen does a cartwheel in a sprinkler.
The author says her daughter (not shown) is eager to grow up, but she wants her to have one more carefree summer.

Chris Clor/Getty Images

I'm raising my child to be independent. I pay her $2.70 a week for chores, and she has her own debit card.

Tech Insider : Business
Mom and daughter
The author started paying her daughter for chores when she was 5.

Courtesy of the author

I underestimated the mental and emotional labor of being a parent. This job doesn't have any downtime.

Tech Insider : Business
Rear view of a mother hugging her son.
The author (not pictured) says she thought motherhood would be a 'second shift.'

Elizabethsalleebauer/Getty Images/RooM RF

I created a screen-free streaming music device. I aimed it at runners, but it took off with kids instead.

Tech Insider : Business, Technology, Travel
Anthon Mendelson headshot
Anthon Mendelson created the Mighty when his iPhone broke.

Courtesy of Mighty

Moving close to my mom has helped with parenting and caregiving. My older kids can ride their bikes to her place whenever someone needs something.

Tech Insider : Business, Sports
The author's mother poses on her front porch.
The author said that living close to her mom has made both parenting and helping her mom easier.

Courtesy of Alexandra Frost.

My Spirit Airlines flight was canceled at 2 a.m. I paid $800 extra to get my mom and me home.

Tech Insider : Business
Woman at Boston airport
Jessica Stanton flew to Boston with Spirit Airlines and was left stranded.

Courtesy of Jessica Stanton

I sold my childhood home in Miami to buy an apartment in Sicily. We paid under $600,000 and did $98,000 in renovations.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business, Style
Woman in balcony
Kat Moore and her husband bought an apartment in Sicily.

Courtesy of Kat Moore

I took my 8-year-old to the Miami Grand Prix. We enjoyed all the events, but the heat was unbearable.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business, Sports
Mom and son
The author took her son to the F1 races.

Courtesy of the author

My kids are 5, 3, and 1, and we live in the suburbs. We walk whenever possible instead of taking our minivan.

Tech Insider : Business
Composite image — on the left, the author is walking and smiling while pushing a stroller, on the right is a baby in a stroller and a three-year-old on a small toy bike.
The author lives in the suburbs of Southern California with three kids, but walks whenever she can.

Courtesy of Jillian Pretzel

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