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

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

Mike Harrington/Getty Images

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

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

A naming expert says picturing your kid as a CEO before naming them can backfire. She recommends these 33 names for success.

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A baby lays on the floor, dressed in a full-sized pin-stripe suit.
A baby in a pin-stripe suit

DFKPhotography.co.uk/Getty Images

Our backyard is a free-for-all hangout spot for neighborhood kids. Everyone follows the same simple rules, or they go home.

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Kids playing outside together, two kids holding hands to form a bridge and other kids running under their hands.
The author says that kids in their neighborhood often come to their backyard to play.

Getty Images

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 3rd child was a daughter, and with her, I felt more pressure to be a role model. She's always watching what I'm doing.

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Amanda Miller Littlejohn with her sons and daughter at the beach, they are smiling in the sun and standing on the sand.
The author has two sons and a daughter.

Courtesy of Amanda Miller Littlejohn

I used to spend over $1,000 on birthday parties for my kids. Now I let them organize their parties with a budget of $150 and it's more fun.

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Happy kids running with balloons
The author now lets her kids plan their own birthdays at the park instead of organizing them herself.

StockPlanets/Getty Images

After getting laid off back-to-back, I now depend on my mom to pay rent

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Mom and daughter posing for a photo
The author was able to spoil her mom until she was laid off from her six-figure salary job.

Courtesy of the author

I'm a mom of 2. My picky eaters love these Trader Joe's staples for a quick, easy dinner.

Tech Insider
Composite image, on the left the author is holding green beans from Trader Joe's in front of the refrigerated section, on the right a package of meat lasagna is in the refrigerator.
Green beans and meat lasagna from Trader Joe's are staples in the author's household.

Courtesy Elliott Harrell

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