Parents
Parent student-loan borrowers have to act quickly to keep their affordable monthly payments.President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful” spending legislation made sweeping changes to student-loan repayment, and loans that parents take out for their kids, known as parent PLUS, are facing a key deadline.Currently, parents can take out loans equal to…
I used to hold a quiet grudge against my parents for the way they handled my creative dreams. Loading audio narration… It wasn’t the kind of loud, dramatic grudge that shows up at therapy and needs a name. It was more like a low hum in the background of my…
One of the biggest misconceptions about how to get into a top college is that students need to take as many Advanced Placement (AP) classes as possible in high school.I’m a college admissions expert, and when families write me five-figure checks for college preparation, they expect me to tell their…
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ellen Jones. It has been edited for length and clarity. Loading audio narration… Three months ago, my mom noticed a charge on her credit card she didn’t recognize.My mom, 93, had never been the one to deal with money — my…
Most parents think that using AI for schoolwork is unethical. Most kids and teens think it should actually be encouraged. Loading audio narration… That’s just one place where parents and youth differ in their views on AI use, according to a new report from Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that…
Everything old is new again — and on playgrounds across America, that means Pokémon cards are back. Loading audio narration… Pokémon was the No. 1 toy property globally last year, generating $2.5 billion in the US, up 87% from 2024, according to a report from market research firm Circana. As…
Last fall, my mother was diagnosed with cancer, and, seemingly minutes later, my father had some heart problems and ultimately suffered a stroke.I knew I was inching toward simultaneously caring for my young kids and aging parents. Suddenly, I was squarely in the sandwich generation.I now had to deal with the…
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cornilia Issa, of The Burning Stones. It has been edited for length and clarity.Five years ago, I was doing some Christmas shopping in the city when I saw oil candles made from broken granite. I took a photo and showed it…
My whole life, it felt like I was promised that if I got an undergraduate degree from a great university, I would get a good job and build a stable life for myself. Reality has been a lot messier.In May 2024, I graduated from New York University with a degree…
When I was born in March 1999, my parents were both 25 years old. They were married and owned a house with a mortgage, and throughout my life, they’ve always seemed like “real” adults.I’m now older than they were when they had me. I’m turning 27 and, though I don’t…
