This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Dima Beseda, cofounder of Spiry. It has been edited for length and clarity. I was only 3 when my dad brought our first computer into the house, but it changed my life. At a very young age, I realized that video games had clear-cut rules. I
My family had an exceptionally busy spring. This year, we threw in an early college graduation, a high school graduation, and a wedding. Each week was full of senior events and wedding plans. I was tired. My kids were tired. As much as we wanted a family vacation, the idea of planning something felt overwhelming.
When my son was in sixth grade, he looked at me one afternoon in our garage while I was unloading groceries and said something I never expected to hear. He said, “Mom, you’re not going to make me go to college, are you?” I paused, unsure of the answer. He was 12 years old. College
My husband looked at the towels spread across our back porch. “Why paper making?” My 13-year-old didn’t even hesitate. “Paper is so cheap,” he said. I had spent nearly two hours on my knees on the hot concrete, scooping watery paper pulp into a frame, sponging out the excess water, and laying each fragile sheet
It felt like the absolute worst time to take a trip. Our son was home from college for the summer, our oldest daughter had just gotten married, and our youngest daughter had graduated from high school and was preparing to leave for college in late August. Everything in me wanted to soak up every minute
Ever since becoming a mom 12 years ago, most of my work has been freelance. Being self-employed has always been the only way I could work, as my partner has no flexibility in his job, we haven’t had family who could consistently watch the kids, and I couldn’t afford to put my three kids in