A Roadmap to Beating the Mental Load: Unpacking Emotional Labor with Leah Ruppanner
The mental load is gaining attention. Sociologist Leah Ruppanner offers practical tools to overcome it in her new book.
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Big ideas, bold solutions. Explore the latest research, analysis, and policy insights from our experts.
Little Nurses: What Happens When Children Take Care of Sick and Disabled Relatives?
In The Guardian, Better Life Lab Story Fellow Feylyn Lewis describes her childhood experience as a “little nurse” to her mother, and the many challenges millions of youth caring for their family members face today.
She’s 14 and She’s Moved 26 Times. The U.S. Housing Crisis Has Families like Hers ‘Running in Place’
Outside Atlanta, the Godfreys are caught in a cycle of job loss and eviction. That stress has implications for the kids.
Spotlighting Gender, Work, Family, and Care at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival
Our entertainment initiative was excited to start the year by participating in three official events at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
Putting Pregnancy, Abortion, and Care into Context on Screen
TV and film viewers are eager to see more realistic, authentic depictions of reproductive health decisions on screen.
Explainer: Paid and Unpaid Leave Policies in the United States
A short primer on private-sector workers’ access and use of federal unpaid leave through the FMLA and an introduction to state programs.
Explainer: Paid Leave Benefits and Funding in the United States
A short primer on state paid family and medical leave programs across 13 states and Washington, DC.
Not All Paid Leave Policies Are Equal
A new report concludes that newer voluntary, optional paid leave policies in several states are not leading to coverage.
10 Top Moments for Care on TV in 2025
From the struggles of parenthood to confronting a cancer diagnosis, Vicki Shabo and Lydia Storie count down the top TV care moments of 2025.