“I could count on my mom for a lot when I was younger. To always say yes to making cookies, to take me to the library whenever I wanted, to pull out the craft supplies every Saturday afternoon. But above all, I could trust my mom, and it’s the one thing I hope I can impart to my girls,” writes Samantha Darby. “Right now, my two younger daughters, ages 5 and 2, trust me because they just do. But as my oldest, now 10, grows, I know I have to show her more actionable trust — and for us, that means being her ‘fall guy’ whenever she needs.” I love this piece!

— Kelly Faircloth, Executive Editor

Listen, I’m as shocked and appalled as you are. But Arielle Tschinkel makes a pretty strong case: “Aside from the risk of bringing home bed bugs and other unintended souvenirs, your travel bags pick up plenty of icky germs simply from being carted around, and there’s no better time than as you’re unpacking to ensure they’re in tip-top shape. Future-you will be relieved to find your family’s squeaky-clean suitcases stashed away the next time you prepare to hit the road or fly the friendly skies.” So she’s gonna tell us how.