When my son's dad moved out, we thought our relationship was over — but we're still family

Tech Insider
Sara Graybeal with her son and her son's father. They are smiling and standing on a beach.
Sara Graybeal doesn't live with her son's father anymore, but they still consider each other family.

Courtesy Sara Graybeal

I'm Australian and married to an American. When our kids visited the US they were surprised people couldn't understand their English.

Tech Insider : Travel
Twins posing with ice cream stand
The author's twins got tired of eating fast food while visiting the US, and asked for veggies instead.

Courtesy of the author

Making friends in my 30s is hard. I seek out casual interactions with strangers to feel less isolated.

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Headshot of comedian and podcast host Chris Duffy
The comedian and podcast host Chris Duffy says that he's found it hard to make friends as an adult.

Courtesy of Chris Duffy

Gentle parenting was sucking out the joy of being a mom. Now I have a trial and error approach.

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A mom and their child play under a blanket fort with dinosaurs lighted by flashlights only.

Addictive Stock/ Getty Images

I'm a grandmother and babysit my grandchildren often. Playing with them allows me to be a kid again.

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Grandmother and granddaughter are on the floor surrounded by toys

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I had a baby during my senior year of college. My friends helped raise my daughter so I could graduate and continue working.

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Couple with baby posing for photo
Riho Maruyama had her daughter in her senior year of college, and her friends helped her raise her.

Courtesy of Riho Maruyama

We are a family of 6. We save $7,000 every year by doing 3 things.

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A large family's mudroom full of shoes.

Catherine McQueen/ Getty Images

I was a single mom and learned how to grocery shop on a budget. I meal-plan on the fly based on sales and still afford occasional treats.

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Ashley Archambault and her son standing in front of a wall with frogs on it.
Ashley Archambault was a single mom for seven years and it taught her how to budget.

Courtesy Ashley Archambault

I'm a Finnish mom in the US. I let my kids schedule their own playdates and allow them to skip homework to get playtime outside.

Tech Insider
Finnish mom standing with her three American sons
The author moved from Finland to the US, raising her kids to be independent.

Courtesy of the author

I'm an American mom living in Denmark. Here families take a long summer vacation, and I'm still getting used to that.

Tech Insider : Travel
Rearview shot of a young couple out on an adventure together with their two kids
The author moved to Denmark in 2020 with her family and is still getting used to summer time off.

pixdeluxe/Getty Images

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