• Sherri Carpineto is senior director of strategy and operations Ascom Americas.
• A few years ago, she was headhunted for a VP role but only offered 10 days off.
• She said she always negotiates time off, because flexibility is critical.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sherri Carpineto, senior director of strategy and operations Ascom Americas. It has been edited for length and clarity.

A few years ago, I received an email from a recruiter out of the blue. I wasn't looking for a new job — I had been with my company for over a decade — but I was head-hunted for this position.

The role was for vice-president of operations for a publicly traded company. It would have been a big step in my career, and the salary increase was significant. It involved working with older people, so there was a chance to make a real-world impact.

It seemed like a great opportunity until I learned that the job was only offered 10 days of paid time off, including all sick and vacation time. When I talked with the CEO about it, she said, "I wish we had better work-life balance, but we don't." That's when I knew I had to turn down the job.

As a mom of 2, flexibility is key

Being a mom of two has certainly impacted my career in corporate America. I took a job that offered remote work long before that became the norm. I stayed there for 15 years because the flexibility was critical for my family.

When my oldest son was 3, he was diagnosed with Celiac disease. At 6, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Because of my remote work and flexible schedule, I could run down to the school when he was sick and go on field trips to make sure he was taken care of medically.

Staying with the same company for 15 years no doubt impeded my career, but the positive impact on my family was well worth that compromise. Today, my sons are 12 and 15. They still need me but in different ways. Most recently, I utilized time off and remote work when a teacher strike kept them home for three weeks.

I don't usually take all my PTO, but like knowing I have it

When I was offered the vice-president role, I refused, on principle, to take it. But in reality, I've never been someone who uses all their time off. In the job I was in for 15 years, I was often the person calling into meetings, even on days off, or taking on more projects, even when they were outside my scope of work.

I was laid off from that company after 15 years, during the pandemic. That changed my philosophy. I had thought that I could make myself indispensable by going above and beyond, but at the end of the day, layoffs are a money decision.

As I interviewed for new roles I knew that time off and remote work were priorities for me. Although I don't always take my allotted time off, I like knowing it's there if I need it.

As a manager, I encourage people to take time off

As a manager, I've always encouraged my employees to take time off. The least productive employee is one that is burned out. We're all salaried adults, and as long as the work is getting done, I encourage people to take their time and disconnect from work.

When I was offered the VP role, I tried to negotiate. I wanted at least four weeks of time off annually. The company refused to negotiate, but I've had better luck asking for more time off in other roles. Time to focus on family while also having a meaningful career is non-negotiable for me, and I'll always take a stand for it.

• Jodie Foster, 62, has two sons named Kit and Charles.
• Her younger son, Kit, accompanied her to the 82nd annual Golden Globes.
• Foster married photographer Alexandra Hedison in 2014. 

Jodie Foster shouted out her family, including her two sons, during her Golden Globes acceptance speech on Sunday.

"Kit, my scientist son, and Charlie, my actor son starting his career, hopefully you understand the joy, such joy that comes from doing really hard, meaningful, good work," said Foster, who won best female actor in a limited series, anthology, or motion picture made for television for her role in the HBO series "True Detective: Night Country."

"So, my boys, I love you, and this, of course, is for you and the love of my life, Alex. Thank you forever," she continued. Her son, Kit, was in the audience.

While one of her kids is now following in her footsteps, Foster previously revealed that at one point, they didn't even know she was an actor. In fact, she actually told them she was a construction worker when they were younger.

Foster, 62, opened up about parenting during a January 2024 episode of "The View." Foster shares her two children with her former partner, Cydney Bernard: Charles "Charlie" Bernard Foster, 25, and Christopher "Kit" Bernard Foster, 22.

"I guess I just didn't want them to know me that way," Foster said. "I wanted them to know me as their mom and the person who went away to work and stuff."

She recalled one day when she brought her eldest son to set.

"I brought him to set one day and I bought him a little plastic tool belt and stuff," Foster said. "And I was like, 'Yeah, and this is this set and this set and this set.' And for a really long time, he thought I was a construction worker."

The Oscar-winner emerged as a Hollywood titan after having an illustrious career in the entertainment industry. After scoring her breakout role in the 1976 film "Taxi Driver," Foster appeared in several acclaimed films like "The Silence of the Lambs" and directed films like "Home for the Holidays" in 1995.

Even so, she's managed to remain relatively mum about her family. Here's a look at her wife and two children.

Foster's wife, Alexandra Hedison, is a photographer and former actor who appeared in "The L Word"

According to People, Hedison, 55, married Foster during an intimate ceremony in April 2014. Hedison is a photographer who often shares pictures of her work and artistic endeavors on Instagram. Hedison also directed the documentary "ALOK," which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and was executive produced by Foster.

Hedison, like her wife, is a jack of all trades. In addition to photography and directing, Hedison is a former actor who played Dylan Moreland on "The L Word" and appeared in other shows like "Melrose Place." Hedison's father is the late actor David Hedison, who appeared in the 1973 James Bond film "Live and Let Die."

Hedison also worked in home design. People reported that she appeared on a 2006 reality TV series called "Designing Blind." According to the Los Angeles Times, a home Hedison designed hit the market for $2.75 million in 2014.

Not much is known about Hedison's past relationships, but she dated television personality Ellen DeGeneres from 2000 to 2004, according to a 2004 report by The New York Times.

Foster and Hedison don't often make public appearances, but the couple has posed for certain red-carpet events, including the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

Charles "Charlie" Bernard Foster is the eldest child of Foster and her former partner, Cydney Bernard

Entertainment Weekly and the Sun Sentinel reported that Foster gave birth to Charlie in July 1998 at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. According to HuffPost, she shares Charlie with her former longtime partner, Cydney Bernard, whom she dated for 15 years before the two split in 2008.

Foster said Charlie had a natural affinity for Hollywood life, even at a young age.

"[He'll say] 'I want to be in movies. Why can't you get me a job?' Then I say, 'You have to earn that. If you want to be an actor, you can start by doing a little theater.' Then he says, 'I'm not interested in that. I just want to be famous and see my face.'" she told More Magazine in 2007, per People.

Based on Foster's comments at the 2025 Golden Globes, Charlie appears to have chased his dreams. He attended Yale University, where he participated in several acting projects. In 2019 and 2021, he played Dr. Frank-N-Furter in a local "Rocky Horror Picture Show performance," according to the Yale College Arts website.

Christopher "Kit" Bernard Foster is her youngest child

Foster and Bernard welcomed their second child in September 2001, according to CBS News.

Unlike Charlie, Foster said Kit isn't interested in following in his mother's footsteps.

"I know the perils of having a parent involved in your art form are too great," Foster told The Guardian in July 2018. "My older son is getting more interested in acting now, and I'm glad he discovered it late. My younger son is really shy and I can promise you he will never be an actor."

In other interviews, Foster shared small tidbits about Kit, including Magic Radio in May 2016. During her appearance, Foster called Kit "a little sensitive" and said that she waited "many years" before she let him watch "The Silence of the Lambs."

According to his LinkedIn page, Foster's "scientist son" graduated from Princeton University with a BA in chemistry and now works as a research associate.

At CES 2025, Bosch is showing off an AI-enabled bassinet with sensors that can detect just about anything an anxious parent could ever hope to monitor about their baby. It’s not clear when the device, called Revol, may actually be available, but it’s able to track an impressive amount of data.

At first glance, the Revol looks somewhat similar to other smart bassinets like the ever-popular Snoo. It has mesh walls and can soothe a sleeping baby with automated movements. But unlike the Snoo, which rocks in a horizontal motion, the Revol moves vertically with the mattress slowly raising and lowering like a tiny elevator.

But most of the power of the crib lies in the built-in baby monitor that provides a live video feed to caregivers. Inside the arm that extends over the crib is an array of sensors that can track both the environment around the bassinet and what’s going on inside.

Karissa Bell for Engadget

It uses a millimeter wave radar sensor that Bosch says can accurately measure the heart rate and respiration of the baby. That data is then sent to an app on the caregiver’s phone, where they can view real-time stats and health reports. There are also sensors for monitoring the environment of the baby’s surroundings, including temperature and humidity sensors, as well a particle meter to measure air quality.

Finally — because it's 2025 and every product needs to have an AI component — the Revol also has AI-enabled features. It uses computer vision to detect if an object, like a blanket or stuffed animal, is near the baby’s face and can alert parents to the danger (the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against keeping any soft objects in babies’ sleep area).

All that sounds like a pretty impressive list of features for a bassinet, but expecting parents shouldn’t hold their breath for the Revol to become available. A Bosch rep told me that the company plans to bring the bassinet to the Chinese market first and that it’s targeting sometime in 2026 for a launch in the US, citing the need to comply with US laws and regulations.

There’s also no price yet on the device, though Bosch told me they are hoping to price it at around $1200. That may seem steep, but the company plans to offer additional add-ons that can convert the crib into a changing table and desk, so parents and kids can get more use out of it.

• My twins are teenagers, and they still love going on family vacations.
• We recently went to Saint Martin, and they loved every moment of it.
• I hope they continue to love our family trips as they grow up.

When I was pregnant with twins, people would say, "You're not going to be able to travel anymore." But I proved them all wrong.

My twins are now 19 years old, and we have been going on yearly family vacations since they were born. When my younger daughter came along 16 years ago, we kept traveling.

Most people assume that once your kids turn 18, they won't want to travel with you anymore, but that hasn't been the case with my children. I hope it stays that way.

Our most recent summer adventure was to Saint Martin

This summer, we visited the Caribbean Island of Sint Maarten/Saint Martin. The reason there are two similar names listed with different spellings is that it's actually one island with two countries that have open borders. The Dutch side is called Sint Maarten, while the French side is Saint Martin.

One of my kid's favorite aspects of our family vacation was that they had their own room. Every night, they bonded by watching YouTube videos — everything from cats being groomed to gamers playing Observation Duty.

While I didn't relate to their late-night entertainment choices, I loved hearing them recap the videos over breakfast each morning, laughing about the details. Even now, six months later, they still talk about how much fun they had watching YouTube videos together.

One of our favorite activities during the trip was a nighttime swim in the hotel pool — something we've done on other vacations, too. The pool, usually crowded during the day, was completely ours at night. Swimming after sunset meant that we didn't need to worry about sunscreen or sunburns. My daughter used to be on the swim team, but we all love our time in the pool. It's definitely a memorable bonding experience and a cherished family tradition.

I try to include my teens in the planning process

During our trips, I'm usually the one who plans and researches everything. But I always provide options or ask for feedback from my teens and husband.

One experience in St. Maarten (the Dutch side) that kept popping up in my internet searches was a zipline course. I was hesitant to mention it due to safety concerns and the steep price, but when I did, my adventurous teens immediately wanted to go. They justified the cost by suggesting it could be an early Christmas present. Since it was hard to know what to buy them, and it did seem like a unique experience, I gave in and let them go.

It turned out to be a highlight of the trip. My kids said it was one of the best experiences on any of our vacations.

I hope that by including them in the planning of our family vacations, they will stay interested in traveling with me.

We are already planning our next trip

My three teens loved Sint Maarten/Saint Martin and said it was the best family vacation and their favorite travel destination. Whether it's swimming under the stars, laughing over YouTube videos, or braving a zipline, it's the shared moments that matter most.

My daughter plans to study abroad in Italy next year. We've already begun researching where we can stay when we visit her. I hope that even when they graduate from college, they will still want to travel with us.

Who knows? Maybe one day, they'll invite me along when they have their own families. Of course, I'll join as long as they agree that I can have my own hotel room so I can watch weird YouTube videos, too. A mom can dream.

• An analysis of the top 500 billionaires across the globe revealed the most popular names.
• John and David are the most common billionaire names, while Marks have the most wealth.
• Wang and Zhang also made a top-ten list that's otherwise Western male names.

There's a lot to consider if you want to name your baby for a successful future. But when it comes to the top names of billionaires, it turns out tradition reigns.

"Western names still dominated the top spots, which might reflect historical economic advantages rather than any real connection between these names and success," said Julian Goldie, who conducted an analysis to find the most popular names among Bloomberg's top 500 billionaires

John and David top the list, while billionaires named Mark are the most wealthy, on average. Most of the top-10 billionaire names are traditional western male names, but the Chinese names Wang and Zhang also made the list.

"The real story here isn't just about names—it's about how wealth creation has evolved," said Goldie. "Today's billionaires come from diverse backgrounds and industries, from tech innovators to traditional business leaders."

The top 10 names for billionaires

According to Goldie, the most popular names for billionaires, in descending order are:

• John
• David
• Thomas
• Michael
• Wang
• Mark
• Charles
• Zhang
• Richard
• Jim

Of those, billionaires named Mark had the greatest wealth, with an average net worth of $41.2 billion. That's influenced by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, whose wealth recently topped $200 billion, making him the world's second-richest person.

The world's richest person, Elon Musk (worth a reported $340 billion), didn't make the list since his name is relatively uncommon. However, his name is creeping up in popularity, appearing on the top 1,000 most popular baby names in America in 2018 and 2021.

Billionaire names for baby girls

At least one group was missing from the list of most popular billionaire baby names.

"I was really struck by the stark gender disparity reflected in the names, with traditionally male names sweeping all the top spots," Goldie said.

While the women didn't stack up in pure popularity, there are billionaire names for baby girls too, according to the Bloomberg list of the world's richest 500 people. These include:

• Alice. Alice Walton, heir to the Walmart fortune, is the world's richest woman, worth a reported $106 billion.
• Julia. Julia Flesher Koch, who inherited a large stake in Koch Industries, is worth a reported $76 billion, and is the world's second richest woman.
• Francoise. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, granddaughter of the founder of L'Oreal, is worth a reported $72 billion according to Bloomberg, though many other sources list her as the richest woman in the world.
• Jacqueline. Jacqueline Badger Mars, heiress to the Mars candy fortune, is worth a reported $44 billion.
• Abigail. Abigail Johnson, CEO of Fidelity Investments, has a worth of $42 billion.
• MacKenzie. MacKenzie Scott, former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is worth $38 billion.
• Miriam. Miriam Adelson made her $36 billion fortune in casinos.

Of course, there are newer girl's names on the billionaire baby list too. Taylor Swift became a billionaire this year, and more recently Selena Gomez did too. Rihanna is also a younger billionaire with roots in pop music.

More than a name

Of course, a person's success is about much more than a name.

"The real determinants of success are factors like opportunity, innovation, and good old-fashioned hard work," Goldie said. "The name on your birth certificate matters far less than access to education, resources, and having the drive to succeed."

A few weeks ago, after a long day of work and several wrestling matches with my 30-pound toddler, I collapsed onto my couch and opened my phone. By then I was in my third trimester, and my approaching labor was on my mind. And my phone knew it.

Before I realized what was happening, I was watching the kind of video that will be immediately recognizable to anyone who's been pregnant in the age of Instagram and TikTok. In it, a "birth trainer" demonstrates the appropriate way to relax while pregnant. Apparently, I should be sitting upright, feet on the floor, with hips open — or, better yet, in butterfly pose — to ensure my baby could get "optimally" positioned for birth.

I wanted to throw my phone across the room. I was exhausted, damn it. Why couldn't I just curl up on the couch and turn off my brain for a moment? Why did every single thing I did have to be tailored to my pregnancy?

But the lure of optimization was impossible to resist. I wanted to be that mom who aces every aspect of childbirth, bringing my child into the world in the best possible way. So I sat up, placed my feet on the floor, opened my hips, and exhaled. And I wasn't the only Good Birth striver out there: The video had half a million views.

To scroll through social media as a pregnant woman is to be told that there are a million things you should be doing to optimize the birth experience. I'm not talking about the common-sense basics, from birth education classes to making a birth plan. In a country with a sky-high rate of maternal mortality, we desperately need to pay more attention to ensuring the health of pregnant women. What I'm talking about is the growing cottage industry of birthing influencers, who market their preferred birthing styles through sponsored posts, consulting services, and online courses. There are advocates of everything from "natural" birth (minimal intervention and no epidurals), "ecstatic" birth (achieved through hypnosis and other mental gymnastics), "total control" birth (meaning a scheduled C-section), and "free birth" (one that happens outside the medical or midwifery systems).

Much of the talk around optimizing birth is well-meaning. But it also feeds an absurd narrative that childbirth can be mastered. How we give birth — or how we think we'll give birth before our due date arrives and reality takes over — has become the latest way we define, and judge, ourselves as parents. At a moment that is inherently fraught with anxiety, the Gospel of the Good Birth gives expectant parents one more thing to be anxious about.

"It feels like pregnancy content is part of this initiation into contemporary parenting," says Rebecca Silber, who works in marketing in New Jersey and is pregnant with her second child. "It starts with 'I do natural birth' or 'I'm an epidural mom' and then turns into 'I sleep train' or 'I'm a gentle parent.'" What has long been a war over the best way to raise a child — and the identity that comes with choosing one parenting style over another — now precedes the child's birth.

For many expectant parents, the appeal of embracing one birthing style over another is about asserting control. Or, more precisely, the illusion of control during one of life's most emotionally charged, high-stakes experiences.

When Megan Nash, a physical therapist assistant in Roanoke, Virginia, was preparing to give birth to her daughter, she followed birth influencers who advocated breathing work and mantras to control the pain of childbirth, free of medication. She conjured up the sort of gently lit images familiar to her from her Instagram feed — teary-eyed, beaming women staring in wonder as they cradle their newborns.

"I envisioned this wonderful, natural, empowering experience," she says. "Because that's what I thought was possible, based on what I was seeing on social media."

Then the reality of labor hit her. She wound up asking for an epidural — a decision that brought immediate physical relief but left her with the nagging feeling that she had failed herself and her baby girl. "I felt shame," she says. "Like, if I couldn't be chill about it, and do it without the help, it showed some type of weakness."

The guilt trailed her home from the hospital. When her newborn turned out to be a colicky, fussy baby, Nash came across a post that equated epidurals with giving your baby fentanyl. It was a completely bogus claim, but she worried that her daughter's fussiness might be her fault. It wasn't until she met another mom who was facing similar struggles, but who'd had an unmedicated home birth, that Nash accepted what her pediatrician had been telling her: Everything was fine. "It was the first time I realized that even if I'd done everything differently, the outcome easily could have been exactly the same," Nash says. "It was freeing to think maybe I didn't have anything to do with it."

For Sarah Denney, a professor in Indianapolis, the "optimal" childbirth experience meant lying on her side. She'd saved a dozen videos from Instagram that convinced her that a side birth would reduce tearing and make recovery quicker than lying on her back. But that's not how it worked out. "I was in agony, lying on my side, pushing, with one of my legs lifted straight in the air, just dangling there," she recalls. "And I tore anyway."

Even those who feel good about their choices wind up fretting over whether they got it wrong. Shannon Wolfman, a mother in Indianapolis who ended up having a C-section, doesn't regret having the procedure, but social media made her worry that she had interrupted the natural process of postpartum bonding by subjecting herself and her baby to medical intervention.

"Objectively, I know I made the right call in the moment by moving ahead with the C-section," Wolfman says. "But the comparison game, both online and just in general, is so intense." Doing the right thing, in the age of Instagram, is no protection against the fear of having done the wrong thing.

I write about women's health for a living, but that hasn't stopped me from falling prey to the Gospel of the Good Birth. My addiction to Instagram hasn't just given me anxiety about my coming labor — it also has me relitigating my first experience giving birth.

Anyone not tethered to social media would conclude that my first birth went fine. As my pregnancy progressed, I read a handful of books, practiced meditation as a tool for staying calm during painful contractions, and made flash-card reminders about labor positions and breathing techniques to take with me to the hospital. My water broke right on time, and my partner and my doula met me at the hospital. My labor, which took 22 hours, was the hardest, most shocking physical experience of my life, even with an epidural. But I delivered a healthy baby girl, and I walked out of the hospital happier than I'd ever been in my life.

Two years later, social media has me second-guessing the whole experience. A few days after Instagram yanked me up from the couch, I found myself going down a rabbit hole of unfounded claims linking medical interventions during delivery with bonding issues later in life. A wave of panic washed over me as I remembered how, after my newborn daughter was placed on my chest, a few minutes passed before I was able to interact with her.

My mind jumped to the present. When my daughter catches me walking off to grab something or go to the bathroom, she sometimes gets upset and yells, "Mommy! You forgot me!" Had my decision to get an epidural short-circuited our bond, dooming her to an anxious attachment style?

There's zero evidence it had. When Nash, the physical therapist, shared a similar worry with me, I'd recognized immediately that her natural anxiety as a mother had been amplified to an excruciating level by the idiocy of social media. But there I was, crying over the dishes, worried that I had failed as a mother. My big, heaving sobs drowned out the sounds from the baby monitor on the counter — my toddler upstairs with my partner, giddily splashing around in the bath.

These days, when I mention how stressed I am about my approaching due date, my friends gently ask if I've considered deleting Instagram. During my prenatal appointment at 34 weeks, I peppered my obstetrician with all the questions about my first labor that my social media diet had triggered. Was the epidural the reason I labored for so long? Did my perineum tear because I pushed on my back? I couldn't work up the courage to ask if it was possible that the epidural had harmed my baby's bond with me.

My obstetrician did his best to calm my Instagram-induced fears with actual medical facts. But all of his answers were carefully couched variations of "maybe, maybe not" — a far cry from the certitude offered by online influencers. That's because the Good Birthers aren't concerned with the specific complexities that attend every individual birth. They're marketing one of the most lucrative products of all: the fear of being a bad mother.

Today, I'm 36 weeks pregnant. My birth plan is as set as it can ever be. I'm basically aiming to do exactly what I did last time. I'm going to prepare as much as I can, and then see what happens when the moment arrives. If it hurts too much, or I get too tired, I'm going to get the epidural. I'm going to trust my doctors, and most importantly, I'm going to trust myself as I roar this baby out of my body. I expect to walk out of the hospital torn and exhausted — but alive and well and happier than I've ever been.

But this time, I've done one thing differently to ensure a Good Birth. I deleted Instagram.

Amelia Harnish is a health reporter based in New York's Hudson Valley.

• During the pandemic, when we couldn't travel, I told my sons they could pick a trip for their birthdays.
• My oldest picked Seattle, and my youngest picked Disney.
• It's a gift to me being able to spend time with them and letting them call the shots.

In a few days, I'll leave my husband and 15-year-old son at home while I board a plane bound for Orlando with my 13-year-old son. We're going to the most magical place in the world at the busiest time of the year, and while I'm dreading the crowds, I can't wait for the experience.

In those early days of the pandemic, when all of our travel plans had been canceled, and it felt like we'd never escape our four walls, I told my two sons that we would make up for the lost time when we could. I made them a promise: when they each turned 13, we'd take a trip anywhere they wanted to go in the United States.

It was a way to dream about brighter days and celebrate their milestone birthdays.

I got to see them in a different way

My older son, the quieter and more reserved of the two, turned 13 in December 2022. When we started brainstorming potential destinations, he was surprisingly decisive: Seattle. It was an unexpected pick for a teenager from Virginia who doesn't know anyone in Washington state. Then I remembered all those nights he caught glimpses of the Seattle skyline while his father and I watched "Grey's Anatomy."

Maybe that image stuck with him, or maybe it was just his love of big cities and rainy landscapes. Whatever the reason for his choice, we were bound for the Emerald City.

When we arrived in Seattle, I saw a different side of my son, a quiet confidence that is often overshadowed by the chaos of daily life and squabbles with his brother. It took a couple of days for him to stop asking, "What are we doing next?" and to believe me when I told him that we could do whatever he wanted.

He selected our meals and set our schedule, and we lingered for as long as he wanted at his favorite places — the top of the Space Needle, among the sculptures of the Chihuly exhibit, among the fishmongers flinging their catch at Pike Place Market.

It felt different than a regular vacation

I was charmed by the things my son found interesting and the details he noticed. Walking in the rain back to our hotel one afternoon, I was struck by how different it felt from our usual family vacations.

Those trips are wonderful in their own way, but they often involve a lot of compromise and juggling everyone's interests. This trip, though, was tailored entirely to my son's curiosity and pace, and it gave us a chance to connect in a way that felt new. We ate a lot of pizza, claimed a favorite doughnut place, and — since he's as much of a night owl as I am — stayed up far later than we should have, giggling over late-night TV that I hadn't watched since before he was born.

Our trip reminded me that he's not just my child but his own person with a growing sense of identity and independence.

I'm grateful for the time I get with them

Now, I'm gearing up for my younger son's birthday trip. He turned 13 in September, and his destination of choice was EPCOT in Florida to "eat around the world" in the World Showcase. We'll also be spending a day at Magic Kingdom and a day resort hopping to see the holiday decorations, and we'll rate and review our meals and snacks as we go.

Compared to his older brother's urban excursion, this feels a little less bold, especially since he's typically the more adventurous of the two, and we've done Disney as a family. But I'm looking forward to seeing this trip through his eyes — and being surprised by what he chooses and what holds his interest when it's just the two of us.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to share these moments with my sons. What started as a pandemic promise has become a tradition I love. I've already floated the idea of doing international trips for their 16th birthdays.

My older son wasted no time declaring that he wanted to go to Australia, while my younger son is leaning toward Paris. Wherever we go, being able to travel with them is a privilege that I don't take lightly.

What I hope they someday realize is that sharing these birthday trips with them is a gift for me, too.

• Growing up, marriage was never a thing that felt like it was for me.
• I wanted kids, but worried about what people — and my parents — would think if I was a single mom.
• I'm now in my late 60s and my companion is my fluffy dog Poppy.

I've had a great life as a travel writer exploring the world. I've been to more places than most people have ever dreamed of visiting.

On my travels, I'd often look at children's clothes and wish I had someone to buy them for. Sometimes I did, but it was always for a friend's child, not mine.

Now in my late 60s, I have very few relatives but have never stopped wishing I could be surrounded by a loving caring family.

I never got married

Coming from a background where my parents argued, and with an older sister who got married to escape, I never saw marriage as the warm, loving environment that it can be. Besides, with no end of handsome boyfriends, each one providing stimulus of one kind or another, I never felt the need for a family or to get married.

When I did meet "the" person that I felt I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, the relationship sadly didn't work out.

As I grew older and my biological clock began ticking, my wish to become a mom became even greater but I never had the courage to have a child without being in a permanent relationship. I also came from a Jewish background, with parents who wouldn't have approved, and were unlikely to support me. I was also very conscious that I wasn't in a sufficiently good financial position to support a child and give them a good education which I believed was essential.

As time went by, I hoped to meet and form a relationship with someone who had children and anticipated that I could become a part of their family. Sadly, it never happened.

I wish I had a family of my own

Over the years to fill in for my loss at not having my own, I've looked after friends' children, babysitting and even temporarily moving into their homes so that the parents could go on a trip alone. However, when those children have gone on to have their own families, I was always their parents' friend, rather than part of their family.

As I've grown older, I've realized that having a warm loving family is a wonderful thing. My parents weren't close to their siblings, and I was unused to large family get-togethers. I travelled a lot while my contemporaries got married and had children. Their families spent time together, and it was only natural for them to act as babysitters. As their children got older and married, their families expanded. On occasion, I'd be invited to a family get-together where there would be in-laws and children, but I'd always be the odd one out.

Now-a-days my friends are grandparents, and although they have passed their babysitting days, they are part of a family unit, spending time with their children and grandchildren.

I have cousins with families but as I am not part of the immediate family, I may be invited to a one-to-one meal but rarely a family get-together. When I go out with friends who have children and grandchildren, the conversation is often centered around their families, their children, and the latest achievements of their grandchildren. I can't say I don't have a tinge of envy.

My compensation lies elsewhere. While I don't have grandchildren, I do have a white, fluffy dog. Poppy is a reliable friend, very sociable, accompanying me whenever and where-ever she can. And thank heavens for other single people like me. On important occasions I'll celebrate with friends but as a singleton it's unlikely to be with family, except for my companion, Poppy.

• I read horror stories online of college students who move out and don't talk to their parents.
• I required my college-aged son to send me a "proof-of-life" photo every day.
• He sent me selfies or pictures of the sunset, and it helped us stay connected.

This year, my son left home for his first year of college. He is just over five hours away, so I knew I would only see him a few times a year.

I read so many blogs and articles, and I joined parent chats. I wanted to learn as much as possible to help my son transition to college. I wanted him to have success and be the best version of the person I knew he could be.

So many of the blogs I read were about students who leave home, and the parents do not hear from them for weeks. Their kids do not return texts, phone calls, or video calls. Their kids seemingly do not have time for them.

As I started packing my son to leave for school, this topic came up. As the time approached, I started to get stressed about the communication aspect. Would he call? Would he text? Would he video chat with me? What would life look like without my firstborn, my baby boy?

After much soul-searching, I presented him with an idea that both he and I were comfortable with. It was supplying a daily "proof of life."

I wanted to hear from him at least once a day via text

The idea was that he would text me at least once a day. It could be as simple as a picture of his lunch so I would know he was alive and eating, or it could be a photo of something on his college campus that sparked his interest — like the white squirrels you can sometimes find.

It could also be a selfie of him with a friend or classmate. We also agreed that we would speak live, either on the phone or via video chat, once a week.

I explained that these are the bare minimum expectations, but he is welcome to call or text as much as he wants. I explained it is hard for me to be away from him, but I am so proud of him.

He agreed to all of this; it was reasonable and manageable. He knew he could communicate in a way he was comfortable with, and he did not feel like I was interfering in his life.

As a parent, I had to let him start to live his life. I just hoped that everything I taught him before leaving would help him be a good human and a good student.

His photos gave me a glimpse into his life on campus

This proof of life ended up looking like a morning text from me saying "good morning" and telling him to have a good day. I also wanted to make sure he was awake since he was always the kid who struggled to get up in the morning. He would typically respond to that text.

Other times, I would receive a photo of the salad he made at lunch or the chicken and waffles he made himself at the cafeteria. I received photos of sunsets — one of his favorite things to photograph. Other times, he would text me while he waited between classes, and we would text for 30 minutes to catch up. He would share what was going on in his life in greater detail.

We are still adjusting to this new normal

My son and I have an incredible mother-son relationship, and it's continuing to evolve as he becomes an adult.

The best thing we did was set expectations so that I was not disappointed by his lack of involvement and he did not feel overwhelmed by my desire to be involved in his changing life.

The day I moved him into his dorm, my son walked me to the car. I hugged him tightly, shared a few words of wisdom, and started the car. I was crying behind my sunglasses and turned on the radio. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds was playing.

I rolled down the window and turned it up so he could hear. He smiled and raised his fist. At that moment, I knew it would all be OK. And his daily check-ins confirmed just that.

• I had kids in my 20s, 30s and 40s.
• While my body took longer to recover the older I got, I also learned to enjoy little things more.
• I've learned that there is no "right" age for when to have kids.

Parenting is one of those experiences that somehow gets better and harder with age.

When I had babies in my 20s, I was young and optimistic — I figured I could handle anything. By my 30s, I had a few more kids, a lot more chaos, and maybe just a little less mental bandwidth. But then, when I was 40, I surprised myself and decided to have one more.

Here's the thing: being a parent is an adventure, and no matter how many kids you have or how old you are, the ride never gets predictable. Some parts are way harder than they used to be, and others are way sweeter.

Pregnancy at 40 was hard

Let me just start by saying that pregnancy at 40 is not for the faint of heart. At least, it wasn't for me. The first big difference I noticed was the exhaustion. Sure, I was tired with my other pregnancies, but this time, it felt like I had been hit by a truck every time I got out of bed.

I used to bounce back quickly after a long day of work and chasing toddlers. At 40, it felt like I needed a recovery plan just to survive a trip to the grocery store. The baby bump wasn't as perky as it used to be, and my back wasn't as forgiving when I bent over to tie my shoes. Every movement felt like a yoga class I hadn't signed up for.

The doctor's appointments also took a bit more effort. Not just the regular ones — I had extra blood tests, ultrasounds, and "advanced maternal age" reminders.

Some days, I feel like I'm moving at a toddler's pace just to keep up. My knees and ankles creak. My energy levels are more in line with someone preparing for a nap than chasing after a baby — the only thing I asked Santa for Christmas was uninterrupted sleep.

I can't tell you how often I've looked at my husband and said, "I'm too old for this!" And yet, when that baby smiles at me when I hear that little giggle, I remember exactly why I'm doing it.

The biggest challenge isn't just physical, though. I remember juggling a newborn with work and life in my 20s, thinking I was some kind of superwoman. In my 20s, I was ready to conquer the world with a baby in one hand and a coffee in the other. Now, at 40, I'm hoping to conquer the laundry pile before the baby wakes up.

I savor motherhood

Even with all the challenges, I wouldn't change it for the world. Sure, my body doesn't bounce back as quickly, but my heart is bigger than ever.

Having a baby at 40 means you appreciate the little things even more — the snuggles, the baby smells, and the fact that you don't have to Google "how to get a baby to sleep" every five minutes because, well, you already know the tricks.

I've also realized that I'm in a different place mentally. Parenting at this stage isn't about surviving — it's about savoring. The late-night wake-ups that used to drain me now feel like a special chance for one-on-one snuggles and quiet connection. I'm not running on fumes the way I did in my 20s. I've learned to enjoy the slow moments, the quiet nights, and the chaos, too. Because when you're older, you know that all the crazy is part of the beautiful mess.

There's no "right" age to have a kid. The journey might be a little more challenging the older you get, but it's also much more rewarding.

• It's never been tougher for first-time homebuyers to break into the market.
• Supply shortages, high mortgage rates, and skyrocketing prices are creating barriers to entry.
• Prospective homebuyers are downsizing, house hacking, or buying fixer-uppers as a result.

It might seem cliché to reminisce about the good old days, but when it comes to the housing market, things arguably were better "back then."

In the 1940s, for example, there was an ample supply of reasonably priced starter homes for first-time homebuyers. A starter home during that time typically cost between $8,000 and $12,000, or between $109,000 to $168,000 in today's dollars, according to Realtor.com.

Fast forward to today, where affordable new home construction has declined, mortgage rates are stubbornly above 6%, and the average home costs $357,469, according to Zillow data. It's no wonder that the share of first-time homebuyers in the market has shrunk to a historic low of 24%, while the age of first-time buyers has hit a record high of 38 years, according to the National Association of Realtors.

"There are a lot of financial barriers to entry for younger households," Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, said in an interview. "As a result, we see fewer first-time home buyers. They are a smaller share of the market, and the number of home sales has been historically low in recent years."

Despite the tough times, there are some positive inklings for the housing market heading into next year: lower interest rates and increased inventory could be on the horizon in 2025. Still, housing experts are unsure if the market will significantly improve for first-time buyers in the near future.

In the meantime, first-time homebuyers seem to be making the most out of the circumstances and are getting creative with the following three homebuying habits.

Starting small

One of the most straightforward ways that homebuyers are reducing costs is by buying a smaller house. That's how Symone', a 32-year-old user-experience content designer who asked not to share her last name for privacy reasons, was able to purchase her first home in 2024: a two-bedroom, 1,300-square-foot single-family home in the Raleigh, North Carolina metro area.

Buying a house in one of the most popular real estate markets in the country wasn't a walk in the park for Symone'. Competition was fierce and inventory was limited, making it difficult to find affordable units, Symone' told BI.

"I would go to sleep basically on my phone, scrolling on Zillow trying to find something," she said.

Her biggest takeaway from the homebuying process was that she wouldn't get everything on her wish list. Symone' prioritized the urban location and made concessions on the size — her house is much smaller than the median American home size of 2,000 plus square feet, according to Bankrate.

"That's where I compromised on this house. I love it because it's a new build, and it has all the finishes that I wanted, but I definitely don't have as much storage in this house," Symone' said.

House hacking

When Tom Brickman bought his first house, he lived in the upstairs unit and rented out the downstairs unit to a tenant.

That was back in 2009, but house hacking, or renting out part of your home, has only increased in popularity as a way for first-time homeowners to get their foot in the door. The extra income from rent can help the owner pay off the mortgage on the house and build up home equity.

"I think it's definitely gained more popularity as things continue to get more and more expensive," Brickman said.

Danny Gardner, senior vice president of Mission and Community Engagement at Freddie Mac, agrees. Gardner believes that increasing living costs are leading people to become more open to nontraditional home ownership options such as sharing space.

In the twenty-plus years since Brickman's first home purchase, he's gone on to buy more houses and become a successful real-estate investor who provides coaching services to new homeowners. House hacking with two tenants was how one of Brickman's clients was able to afford a condo while working as a server in Los Angeles.

House hacking can provide a point of entry into the market, especially for otherwise prohibitively expensive markets such as Los Angeles, but Brickman cautions that it's not for everyone. Cohabiting with a tenant can create complications: when Brickman first started out, he encountered lifestyle conflicts with his downstairs neighbor and had to scramble for money to fix a broken furnace.

"It's inconvenient," Brickman said of house hacking, "but I could afford a much nicer house by doing that."

Buying a fixer-upper

Another way first-time homebuyers are combatting the rising cost of housing is by buying fixer-uppers. These houses are often available at below-market prices and can be a great deal — if you're willing to put in the work and money to invest in renovating.

According to Hale, fewer affordable starter homes are being built as builders have trended towards constructing larger, more expensive homes in recent years.

As a result, those looking to buy an accessible first-time home might not have a lot of new options to choose from.

"A lot of lower-priced homes are lower priced because they're older and could require work," Hale said.

Prospective homeowners might choose a fixer-upper due to lower competition. Brickman went this route a few years ago.

"I was just tired of getting outbid, so I took a house that needed more work than what it was needed," Brickman said of his experience buying a fixer-upper in 2022.

However, the lower price of a fixer-upper can come at the cost of the convenience of a new build, as it's difficult to accurately predict costs no matter how diligently you budget. Another one of Brickman's clients was hit with thousands of dollars of unexpected costs on a fixer-upper after an initial inspection failed to catch an issue with a retaining wall on the property.

The housing landscape is undoubtedly tough to navigate today, but until affordability improves, prospective homeowners are coming up with workarounds to get a piece of the American dream.

"Sometimes you have to get a little creative to get your foot in the door," Brickman said.

• It's becoming more common for people to choose to be child-free.
• Seven people shared why they don't want to be parents.
• Some never desired kids, while others felt that bringing a child into this world would be unfair.

For a long time, it was a societal expectation that people would grow up, get married, and have 2.5 kids.

However, that's changing.

From concerns about overpopulation and the environment to a simple desire to remain independent, more and more people just don't want children.

Business Insider spoke to seven people about why they're not interested in being parents, and their answers ranged from practical concerns about parenthood to just never feeling the desire to have kids.

Itzett Romero

Age: 37

Job: Digital marketer and content creator

When she knew she didn't want to have kids: Romero told BI she knew from a young age, as she spent much of her adolescence helping to care for her younger siblings.

Why she doesn't want them: Romero is the oldest of three children, and because of the large age gap with her siblings, she did a lot of childcare growing up. She understood the sacrifices people make when they have children, and it wasn't something she wanted for herself.

"I grew up very much understanding not just the Disney version or what the media portrays as having kids, but the more realistic version of having kids," she said.

She also thinks the American government and society don't do enough to support parents, particularly mothers.

"Women are very much taking on the burden of motherhood, as well as everything else, by themselves," she said. "I personally don't think that's fair."

"There's also something to be said about the fact that motherhood is just not for everybody," she added. "I have so much ambition. There are so many things I want to do."

How people have responded to her choice: "I have been lucky that I have surrounded myself with friends and family who have always respected my decision," she said.

Romero said she sometimes gets pushback from people she isn't close to but looks inward for acceptance instead of outward.

"I have stopped trying to get validation from people who don't understand my decision-making," she added.

What she's most excited about for her future: "As a content creator, I'm very passionate about human rights and collective liberation," Romero told BI.

"I'm excited to have the time, and the space, and the purpose to be able to do these things," she said. "I am a child of immigrant parents, and I'm looking forward to being a voice for that experience."

Anaïs Chantal

Age: 26

Job: Project manager, personal assistant, and bookkeeper in the music industry

When she knew she didn't want to have kids: In 2020, Chantal became friends with a woman who wouldn't have kids.

"I had in my head that I was going to grow up, get married, and have three children," she said. "When she said that, it was like, 'Oh, you can choose to do that. That's an option.'"

"I really started to self-reflect on why I wanted children," she said. "Did I actually want kids, or was I just conditioned to want children?"

Why she doesn't want them: Chantal said her mental health is one of the biggest reasons she wants to remain child-free. She told BI she is a victim of sexual assault and thinks giving birth, breastfeeding, and raising a child could be triggering for her.

"I don't normally tell people this, but there might be somebody out there that has this conflict, and I want people to know that they're not alone," she added. "My mental health is really important, and I don't want to put myself through that. And I also don't want to put my child through that because kids can pick up on things."

Chantal also said that she just doesn't think kids are something she needs to feel fulfilled and joyful.

"I have friends with kids, and they're the sweetest little things, but I really value my peace and being able to come home to peace and quiet," she said.

How people have responded to her choice: "My parents, of course, were initially sad," Chantal said. "But when I sat them down and told them my reasons, they were like, 'You know, it sounds like you really thought this through.'"

She also said she surrounded herself with people who don't want children, both in person and online, which gave her a sense of community.

Chantal had her fallopian tubes removed at 24 once she decided to remain child-free. Her insurance covered the procedure, and she said she felt relieved when it was done.

"I can remember getting wheeled out and waking up and seeing my partner with the biggest smile on my face," she said. "I was so, so happy."

What she's most excited about for her future: Chantal plans to move to New York with her partner next year. Eventually, they hope to settle in a more remote desert area with their dog.

"I just want to see the world, and I'm excited for my freedom," she said. "It does feel like the possibilities are endless for me."

Israa Nasir

Age: 37

Job: A therapist and the author of "Toxic Productivity"

When she knew she didn't want to have kids: "The feeling of wanting to have kids just never came," Nasir told BI.

She said her friends often imagined themselves as moms during imaginative play when they were children, but she pretended to be an explorer or adventurer.

"Even when I hit high school, I never really imagined a future where I was having a kid, but at that time, I didn't know that there was a thing of not having kids because everybody around me had children," she said.

"As I grew older, I started realizing this is a thing," she added. "There are some people who don't have children."

Eventually, Nasir realized she had fallen into that group.

Why she doesn't want them: "I'm very happy around kids," Nasir said. "I think they're very interesting. You can learn a lot from them."

However, Nasir told BI she's "not interested in parenting."

"It doesn't fit the lifestyle I've built for myself over the last 15 years," she said. "I would have to shift a lot to accommodate a child."

"I'm a therapist, and I know how important it is to have parents who are present, connected, and engaged," Nasir continued. "I think that my role in the world is different."

"Everybody has a role that they take on in this world, and when people have kids, a lot of their life, especially for the first five years, starts revolving around their children," Nasir said, adding that she's "not able to do that."

How people have responded to her choice: Nasir said she and her husband were on the same page about not having kids but her choice has been more surprising for other family members.

"I'm South Asian. This is a very big part of our culture, so I definitely got a lot of disappointment and anger from my mom," she said, adding that her mom still has not accepted her decision.

She also thinks her dad is sad about not being a grandpa, and some of her friends have expressed that she and her husband would have been great parents.

"I make a lot of space for other people's grief on this because they lose something when I make a decision," Nasir said. "It doesn't mean that I'm not entitled to it, and it does not mean that I have to feel guilty about it."

What she's most excited about for her future: "I am excited about building something that I can leave behind for others that makes their life a little better," she said. "One person can't change the whole world, but I want to add an impact."

"On a personal level, I'm really excited about being able to have experiences with my partner and have adventures and have a really big life on my terms," she added.

TJ Turner

Age: 38

Job: Engineer at a power company

When he knew he didn't want to have kids: Turner reflected on how kids could fit into his life after his father died in 2024. His dad was part of two unplanned pregnancies, including his conception.

"Not to insult myself, but I realized I didn't want to make that same mistake," he said. "That's kind of when I decided this isn't for me."

Turner decided to get a vasectomy when he was 28.

Why he doesn't want them: "I just didn't think that I would be good parent material," Turner told BI.

He said the financial and physical toll of parenting, like a lack of sleep, didn't appeal to him. He also didn't think he could take care of his mental health and be the kind of parent he wanted.

"In this day and age, it's so hard to focus on yourself that I don't know how people can not only focus on their own mental health but also focus on the health of their children on top of working full-time," he said.

How people have responded to his choice: Turner was already married when he decided to get a vasectomy, and he said his wife was supportive of his choice. His mom also supported him, though she was "sad initially" that she wouldn't have grandchildren.

"I tried to explain to her, like, 'Look, it's not because I think you raised me poorly or I had a bad childhood. It's honestly more because I know I will never be as good of parents as you were,'" Turner said.

"I think she understood that, and I think she respects that," he said.

What he's most excited about for his future: Turner told BI he's glad his future is flexible thanks to the independence. He can foster his love of motorcycling or go on a date with his wife without worrying about childcare.

"I can pay for my own retirement, own houses, and just live comfortably," he said.

Kathryn Hoffman

Age: 33

Job: Marketing professional

When she knew she didn't want to have kids: Hofman said she always knew, on some level, children weren't part of her life plan. In fact, her late grandfather knew she didn't want children before she did.

"I was not the serial dater," she said. "I didn't typically bring folks around, so everyone assumed it was pretty serious when I brought my husband home. Somebody asked something about children, and my grandfather just chimed in and was like, 'She doesn't want kids.'"

"And I was like, 'You know what? I don't,'" she said.

Why she doesn't want them: "I have a lot of ambitions," she said. "I'm not saying a mom can't accomplish a lot of things, but I really value my ability to assign success to myself and not assign success to what I've done for other people in my adult life."

"I think there are many, many things that I would have to prioritize differently if I were to be a mom," Hofman added.

How people have responded to her choice: "One of the things that people tell me often in response to the statement that I don't want children is, 'Oh, but you would be so good at it,'" Hofman said.

"The idea that I would be exceptionally good at it is one of the deterrents," she told BI. "I know myself well enough to know that if I were to become a mother, I would put all of my effort and energy into that child versus myself."

"Whether that's selfish or not, I'm sort of indifferent to that," she said. "I value my relationships as they are, my relationship with my husband and my relationship with myself."

What she's most excited about for her future: Hofman is an aspiring author, so she's looking forward to starting the querying process in 2025.

She also hopes to learn more and travel with her husband. They plan to head to New Zealand together and Disney World with her niece and nephews.

"That was one of the very few things I felt like I might miss out on not becoming a mom is that first time taking kids to Disney, so I'm borrowing my niece and nephews, and we're going to go do that with them," she said.

"There's just a lot of opportunity and things that come with the freedom of not owing your life and raising somebody else. You can raise yourself and go from there," Hofman said.

Whitney S.

Age: 38

Job: Nursing home staffer

When she knew she didn't want to have kids: When she was 17, Whitney watched a video of a woman giving birth in a college-level health class. The reality of giving birth shocked her — and made her sure she didn't want to go through the experience herself.

"I didn't tell anyone because you can't say that when you're 17," she told BI. "Nobody will believe you."

"But no matter what phase in life, no matter how old I was, I said, 'A kid is not going to fit in this,'" Whitney added.

Why she doesn't want them: "With the way things have been going and the way things will be, I don't see a reason to bring a child into this world," she said, pointing to the climate crisis as one of her concerns. "I don't feel like it's safe enough."

Whitney also said she doesn't want to take on the physical and mental risks of pregnancy and motherhood. She thinks many people take the responsibility of becoming parents too lightly.

"I know people who really want kids, and they're preparing for that financially and mentally," she said. "But I know too many people who have not … and the kids always suffer."

How people have responded to her choice: Whitney said she is estranged from some of her family members, who are disappointed she isn't having children, even though there are other kids in her family. She also said her decision impacted her dating life.

"For seven years, I was single," Whitney told BI. "That's a large reason I was single for so long."

Whitney has a boyfriend now, and she said she told him early in their relationship that she didn't want to have children.

What she's most excited about for her future: Whitney has fostered a community with other child-free people on social media and said she's eager to keep growing it and connecting with like-minded people.

"I get a lot of enjoyment out of it despite all the negativity," she said. "I told myself there's gotta be at least one person that can relate to what I'm saying."

Jessica Hawk

Age: 55

Job: Retired high-school teacher and content creator

When she knew she didn't want to have kids: Hawk said she never felt the urge to be a mother, even as a child.

Watching her friends become parents made it clear to Hawk that having kids wasn't for her.

"I had so many goals and aspirations for myself," Hawk said. "I knew from my friends who started having kids in their 20s just how much time, effort, and energy, mentally and physically, kids took."

"When I saw real-life examples of exhaustion, I definitely knew it was not the path for me," she added.

Why she doesn't want them: "When you decide to become a parent, you have to be ready for every possible scenario that could come up," Hawk said. "That includes having a child who might have special needs and will need care for the rest of his or her life."

"You have the possibility of the marriage not lasting," she added. "What would it be like to be a single mother?"

"When you think of all the variables that can come up with having children, it was more reasons for me to say I'm not ready to accept any of those variables," Hawk said.

How people have responded to her choice: Hawk didn't have pressure from her family to have children, which made her decision easier.

"I come from a long line of child-free women on both sides of my family," she added. "I always had real-life examples of child-free people thriving in my life."

Still, when she married her ex-husband — who also didn't want children — Hawk said people asked them within hours of the moment they said "I do" when kids were coming.

"At the beginning of the reception, I said, 'Oh, you know, we don't want to have children,' and the pushback I got: 'Oh, you'll change your mind.' 'You're too young.' 'You just got married.'"

"I'm like, 'Can I eat my cake?'" Hawk said.

What she's most excited about for her future: "I am at a point in my life now where I put myself in a really good financial situation," she said. "I live in my own large apartment and have peace and quiet. I travel extensively with my boyfriend and friends. I have such freedom to live my life in a way that is not a grind."

"I just feel completely unfettered and to the point where I can really just have fun, and I think not everybody has that opportunity," she added. "I'm going to take it to the fullest extent I can."