I post photos of my kids online. It's part of my job, and the reward outweighs the risk.
Melissa Petro is a personal essayist who shares her life as a mother for work. Including details about her kids' lives helps her pay her bills.
Melissa Petro
My family skipped Christmas at home and went to Sri Lanka for a month. Instead of forced traditions, we enjoyed much-needed family time.
For Christmas of 2022, Melissa Petro decided to ditch the gifts and take her family of four to Sri Lanka for a month instead.
My child is neurodivergent and traveling can be hard. We do it anyway because he loves it.
My son was diagnosed with severe anxiety and pathological demand avoidance. He ignores and avoids rules, which can make traveling hard.
I'm horrible at job interviews, so I asked an expert for advice before a big opportunity. Her tips helped me land the job.
Melissa Petro worked for herself for years after developing interview anxiety. When a big job opportunity came up, she turned to an expert for help.
We allow our kids screen time at home, and they go to a tech-free school. It's a good balance.
We allow screen time at home, but our kids go to a tech-free school. They can use screens at home whenever they want but don't overindulge.
My husband and I started dating at work. It never negatively impacted our professional lives.
Kimberly Gallina and her husband, Jim, met at a school they were both teaching at in Jamaica, Queens. They prioritized keeping work and love separate.
I live off the grid in a yurt on land I inherited. There's nothing I miss — life is ridiculously peaceful.
Cami Ostman built a yurt on a plot of land her grandparents owned in Washington. She says living off the grid is glorious and doesn't miss anything.
My 6-year-old asked for a cellphone for Christmas. He's getting one, and I'm not treating it any differently than a toy.
She's giving her 6-year-old a cell phone for Christmas, which he requested. He wants it for the camera, and the family plans to treat it like a toy.
I'm an extrovert who realized working remotely was bad for my mental health. These 4 things help me combat loneliness.
Melissa Petro has been freelancing for over a decade. To combat loneliness, she works from a café and leans on members of her online writers' group.
Our school district says my son needs to go to another school because of his cerebral palsy. I'm fighting so he can get the education he needs.
Kayden is 6 and requires a wheelchair to move around. His school district recommended he be sent to a different school based on his disabilities.
My son's private kindergarten costs $84,000 a year. We are forcing our public-school district to pay for it.
The author's 5-year-old son is entitled to childhood services because of his disabilities. When his school expelled him, his parents had no option.
I finally landed a 6-figure book deal after 20 years of trying to become an author. Here's how I did it.
Melissa Petro has worked as a freelance writer for a decade. She sold her book to an editor at Putnam Books, a division of Penguin Random House.
I'm a female firefighter who had to work twice as hard for the same opportunities given more readily to men
Justine Mabey is a deputy fire chief in Nova Scotia, Canada who felt welcomed when joining the fire service, but felt she had to prove herself.
I'm a volunteer firefighter — not a fireman. Here's what my job is like and why gender doesn't matter when saving lives.
Rayliene Thompson says she wears 60 pounds of equipment and has learned how to jump head-first out of a window and flip herself on a ladder.
I've been a fortune teller since I was 4 years old. I've had plenty of skeptics — but for me, it's not about predicting the future.
"I'm a mirror to your life," fortune teller Jezmina Von Thiele says. "I've had plenty of skeptics put their lives in perspective [with a reading]."
I'm a female construction manager. I've had men comment on my looks and tell me I belong in the kitchen — but I still love my career.
Construction manager Lindsey Peruto is often the only woman on-site. She says: "Rather than letting that intimidate me, I've allowed it to fuel me."
After ending a 6-year relationship, I went on 30-plus first dates looking for The One. In less than a year, I met the man who became my husband.
After a rough breakup, I decided to buckle down and look for The One. In less than a year, I'd gone on over 30 first dates — and found my husband.
A national tabloid humiliated me on its cover. 2 years later, I dated a reporter who worked for them.
The author shares how a tabloid outed her as a sex worker, causing her to lose her teaching job. Then, she dated a reporter from the same publication.
'I have a job most would kill for': How 5 people got their unexpected dream jobs
"I started out wanting to be a working artist, but I became disillusioned with the art world," said Gretchen Schwarz, 46, a high school teacher.
After 20 years in New York City, my family moved to the Hudson Valley. Here are 12 things I love to do in the area that make me so glad we left.
Since moving to Hudson Valley, New York, I've found the best places for kayaking and swimming, breweries for craft beers, and farms for fruit-picking.