"The visual aspect of social media encourages them to focus on what looks good in a two-dimensional format. Charm, kindness, character—these are difficult for people to pick up on digitally. What's easy to see is your partner's wonky hairline." tabletmag.com/sections/commu…

The future is neither girl-boss nor online trad-wife, and it’s no coincidence that “Lead Like Jael” and the left’s blockbuster novel “Yesteryear” both ask “what’s next?” As I explore in @firstthingsmag, “But if the support doesn’t come from wise older women and strong godly husbands, government will increasingly step in. Burke senses this, telling Lizzy Goodman of the New York Times, “We were all sold a bill of false goods, and that’s true for conservative women and it’s true for liberal women. . . . The point of the book is not that one wins.” When asked by Hanna Rosin on Radio Atlanticwhat comes next, Burke answered: “If you don’t wanna be a girlboss or a tradwife, what’s the option? And the option is Marxism.” Zohran Mamdani’s Marxism, to be precise—the kind that attracted over 80 percent of the under-thirty female vote in the 2025 mayoral election. Still, it strikes me that no political framework addresses the loneliness, pride, or spiritual vacancy that Natalie embodies so viscerally, and that so many readers recognize in themselves.”

Writers don't choose the headlines, but I kind of love the one @jacobin chose for my article today about why it's time to stop the culture war distractions and lean into the real bipartisan momentum for putting money into the pockets of new parents.

In contrast to daycare, child care recognizes that every parent needs some form of help sometimes, regardless of how much waged work one does. ifstudies.org/blog/keep-it-l…

If you’ve given to Compact’s summer fundraising campaign, you’ve already received a personal note of thanks from me. If you haven’t donated yet, please consider supporting our work with a tax-deductible gift. compactmag.com/donate/

This is my second toddler to love these colored, reusable ice cubes. First one, a girl: carefully separated all the colors into different bowls using tongs. Second one, a boy: getting himself as far away as possible and then testing how far he can throw them accurately into a bowl

1/ Stories about conventional suicide in the mainstream media often include mental health resources. But stories about assisted dying often don't. Why? I tried to answer this question in @thedispatch ⬇️

This poetry book is SO fun. Highly recommend for the Star Wars loving kid in your life.

Yesterday I took my four children to the pool. 1.5 year old - refused to be in or near the pool, started furiously screaming NO WA-WA [water] NO NO when brought near the water 3 year old - refused to get out of the pool, claimed she was “being Moana” and “I need FWIM LIKE FISH” Faced with this conflict, I let the 1.5 year old wander slowly over a grass lawn towards the pool playground, while keeping 1:4 eye on him and 1 3:4 eye on the 3 year old in the water. He continued to scream furiously the whole way. Once he got far enough away, I started half dragging/half cajoling my 3 year old to the playground. Other mother at the playground: Is this your baby? Me: Yes. Other mother: I thought he was lost. He seems very upset. Me: He is angry. Other mother: Is he teething? Me: No. Anyway, it’s all irrelevant to me what you are doing with your own kid at the playground. Narrate. Don’t narrate. Be on your phone. I do not care. In a just world, we’d all just be able to crack open at a beer at moments like this, at least if it’s near 5 o’clock. [to be clear: I don’t blame the other mother: I too would be taken aback by the arrival of an extremely angry, apparently unaccompanied 1.5 year old chanting NO WA-WA]

Today I'm sharing thoughts about Magnifica Humanitas and discernment @FrontPorchRepub, with the help of some Teslas and horse-drawn buggies. Come for the Amish, stay for the whole FPR series on MH (see pieces so far by @estice & @alexsosler )!

I agree this is seismic in a good way, but would caution that the opinion only holds that the EEOC's current approach to disparate impact is unconstitutional. It allows more limited use of disparate impact (I have mixed feelings about that.)

At-home mothers "are not instrumental beings, only good for what they do for their husband and children." Brava, @IvanaDGreco ! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Come read Ivana's excellent exploration of the many ways in which advanced education benefits at-home mothers, families, and society overall.