Magazine

Tired dad looking at a vintage Chinese gender predictor chart on his phone.

The Chinese Gender Calendar Trap: A Letter to Past Me at 3 AM

Dear Tom from six months ago, I know exactly what you're doing right now. You're sitting on the closed lid of the downstairs toilet at 2:13 AM, the harsh bathroom light burning your retinas, holding a plastic Tesco pregnancy test...

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A tired father holding two identical twin baby girls in his living room

The Oh Baby Illusion And The Messy Reality Of Your First Year

I was standing in the kitchen at half-past three in the morning, staring blankly at the leftover winnie the pooh baby shower invitations still pinned to our fridge. They were beautiful, really. Pristine cardstock, muted pastel colours, a delicate little...

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Exhausted mom scrolling a baby meme on her phone in the dark

The midnight baby meme: surviving internet chaos and newborn life

Listen. The absolute worst thing you can do at 2:42 AM when your infant is staring at the ceiling like they owe it money is open a sleep training forum. I used to do this. I'd sit in the dark,...

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Mom sitting on living room floor surrounded by baby feeding gear and wooden toys.

The Truth Behind the Sugar Baby Movie Hype for Modern Parents

Dear Past Jess, It's two in the morning, and I'm currently sitting on the floor of our living room here in rural Texas, staring at a laundry basket that looks like it's actively reproducing. I'm peeling a mysterious, crusty substance...

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A bewildered twin dad looking up the three wise men and a baby cast

The Three Wise Men and a Baby Cast: Hollywood Myths and Plaster

It's 3:14 in the morning, and I'm watching three perfectly groomed Canadian actors attempt to figure out how a nappy works while my left shoulder slowly absorbs a terrifying volume of pureed carrot. I'm rewatching the Hallmark holiday juggernaut Three...

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Newborn baby wrapped in a blanket with a slightly squished puffy face

Dear Priya, it is totally normal to think your newborn looks weird

Dear Priya from six months ago. You're currently sitting on a plastic-covered mattress in room 4B of the maternity ward. The fluorescent lights are buzzing in that specific, anxiety-inducing pitch that only hospital fixtures can manage. You have ice packs...

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An exhausted mom holding a melting iced coffee while her toddler points at a small farm animal.

My Complete Meltdown Over Petting Zoos and a Tiny Baby Donkey

It's exactly 10:14 AM on a Tuesday and I'm currently wedged between a rusty chain-link fence and a toddler who's vibrating with the kind of feral energy that usually precedes a trip to urgent care. My four-year-old, Leo, is violently...

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A tired father carrying twin girls in a park comparing their behavior to a wild primate

What a Wild Baby Chimp Taught Me About Raising Twin Toddlers

I'm currently lying flat on the rug in our London living room, staring at a patch of ceiling that desperately needs painting, while someone repeatedly hits my left shin with a plastic spatula. Twin A (Isla) is shrieking because her...

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Overwhelmed parent trying to figure out sustainable baby gear while holding a toddler

Why a 1980s baby boom cast makes more sense than modern apps

My mum casually mentioned last Tuesday that if I didn't start putting a pulverized rusk into the twins' nighttime milk, they would never sleep past 4 am and I'd be looking at stunted growth by their third birthday. The bloke...

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