My wife isn't 'just' a stepmom to my son. He sees her as his other mom.

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Sa'iyda Shabazz holding hands with her son and stepmom
The writer, left, and her son with his stepmom.

Dennis and Rebecca Pacas

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.

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Child-focused parenting is exhausting. Some parents are finally ditching it.

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A colorful child's birthday party with a mom cheering up a crying daughter

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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 had my first baby in Switzerland and the second after moving home to Chicago. Giving birth in the US left much to be desired.

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Woman in winter clothes pushing baby carriage in Switzerland.
Chantal Panozzo had her first baby in Switzerland and the second after moving back to the US.

Chantal Panozzo

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

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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

I'm 30 years old and only make enough money to cover the essentials. I rely on my parents to pay for fun things.

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A man raises a pint of beer into the air, against a blue background.

master1305/ Getty Images

I send my kids to stay with family over the summer. I deserve time away from them, and they have fun.

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A woman sitting by the pool in a deck chair, with food and drinks beside her on a table.
Tanya Mitra (not pictured) enjoys relaxing without her kids in tow during part of the summer.

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I'm a proud, child-free cat lady. Children are still important to me — I just don't want any of my own.

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Christina Wyman smiling at the camera and holding one of her cats.
Christina Wyman says she's proud to be a child-free cat lady.

Courtesy of Christina Wyman

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