Christina Crawford and her family recently had a jam-packed weekend full of sports games and playdates. “Our first real break came Sunday evening, when my phone dinged with a message asking if my 10-year-old son wanted to shoot hoops with some of the neighborhood kids. I immediately texted yes, without checking with him, because I assumed he’d love to join. Turns out I was absolutely wrong.”

And getting it wrong helped her understand something really important about her kid. Funny how that works, right?

Kelly Faircloth, Executive Editor

“People often talk about ‘red flags’ to watch out for in a partner: being overly controlling, unconscious gaslighting, showing constant jealousy, or lying, just to name a few,” writes Sarah Bourassa. “But what about ‘green flags’? These positive traits are just as important to pay attention to and can be signs of a healthy and long-lasting relationship.” Today, she’s got a whole bunch of them, straight from moms.