As parents, it’s our job to give our kids the tools they need to face struggle without breaking.

I’ve studied over 200 parent-child relationships, and I’m a mother myself. My goal has always been to teach kids how to process hard feelings and move forward. Mentally strong kids know how to regulate their emotions, trust themselves, and rebound after setbacks. And that kind of strength is built at home, in the everyday moments between parent and child.

Here are seven things to avoid if you want to raise mentally strong kids.

Kids build resilience by learning that can get through tough situations. When you rush to fix every problem, you rob your child of resilience. Let them wrestle with discomfort while staying present as their safe base.

What to do: Clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour says kids who regularly face age-appropriate challenges build stronger emotional regulation over time.

If your child forgets their homework, let them face the natural consequence instead of driving it to school for them. Then talk afterward about what they learned and how they can plan differently next time.

It’s okay to lose your temper sometimes. But parents who raise mentally strong kids don’t pretend like something didn’t happen — or blame the child for “making” them react.

Mental strength happens when you move through problems without destroying trust.

What to do: If you snapped at them, say: “I was stressed and took it out on you. I’m sorry.” Your child learn will that mistakes don’t end relationships, and that taking responsibility is strength.

This models what experts call “rupture and repair,” a foundational concept in connection and emotional intelligence.

Shutting down big feelings like anger or sadness teaches kids to fear their own emotions. Strength comes from knowing that hard feelings are manageable.

This is also where kids practice social resilience. If they know anger or sadness won’t destroy your bond, they’re more prepared to face rejection or conflict with peers.

What to do: When your child is upset, avoid saying, “You’re fine.” Instead say: “I know that really hurt. I’m here with you.” Your calm presence teaches them emotions aren’t emergencies.

A child who only feels valuable when they succeed will crumble under pressure. Mentally strong kids know their worth doesn’t depend on grades or trophies.

What to do: Studies show that perfectionism is rising in kids, which is linked to anxiety and burnout in adolescence.

After a poor grade, avoid saying, “You’re smarter than this.” Instead, say: “I’m proud of the effort you put in. Your grade doesn’t define you.”

Authoritarian parenting looks strong but breeds weakness. When kids never get a voice, they learn to either collapse or rebel. True strength grows when they’re invited into decisions, learning that their voice matters.

This is also how kids develop autonomy: They practice independence while staying connected to your guidance.

What to do: Research shows that giving kids a sense of control builds motivation and reduces power struggles. Let your child choose between two chores or help decide what’s for dinner. Small choices build confidence.

Some parents unknowingly expect kids to regulate their stress by comforting them. This emotional role reversal is damaging.

What to do: Instead of saying, “You’re making me sad,” try: “I’m feeling overwhelmed. I need a moment to calm down.” It’s not your child’s job to manage your nervous system.

Children raised to glorify productivity grow into burned-out adults. Show them that strength includes knowing when to pause, recharge, and value themselves beyond constant output.

When you demonstrate rest, you’re teaching body awareness: how to recognize stress signals and respond before burnout.

What to do: Say, “I’m going to rest for 20 minutes. Taking care of myself helps me feel better.”

Mental strength is all about helping kids face hard things, feel their feelings, take ownership, and rest — while knowing they’re deeply loved for who they are.

Reem Raouda is a leading voice in conscious parenting and the creator of FOUNDATIONS, a step-by-step guide that helps parents heal and become emotionally safe. She is widely recognized for her expertise in children’s emotional safety and for redefining what it means to raise emotionally healthy kids. Connect with her on Instagram.

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Sometimes, 24 hours just doesn’t feel like enough. Between work, commutes, and a growing to-do list, it’s easy to get through an entire weekday without really connecting with your partner. But staying close doesn’t require extra time — just intention.

As a psychologist who studies couples (and as a husband), I’ve seen firsthand how small daily rituals can help people feel more connected, especially when life is busy. Even better news: Intimacy isn’t something that has to wait until the weekend.

Here’s what people in the happiest relationship do during the weekdays — that most neglect.

Most mornings are rushed and chaotic: alarms, deadlines, and the hurry to get out the door. That means the only real moment spent together is waking up in the same bed, and maybe a distracted kiss before they go their separate ways.

But happy couples find small ways to start the day together, even if it’s just for five or 10 minutes. That might mean setting the alarm a little earlier to cuddle before getting out of bed, making the bed together while chatting about your dreams, or sitting side-by-side for your morning coffee — even in silence.

The point isn’t how you do it, but that you actually do it. The best couples remind each other: “Regardless of how cruddy the day ahead might be, we’ve still got each other.”

You don’t need long, drawn-out conversations during the workday to stay connected. A funny meme, a little anecdote about your daily office drama, or a quick “thinking of you” message can be enough to strengthen emotional intimacy.

The happiest couples check in — not to talk logistics, but to remind each other they’re top of mind. It takes just a few seconds (during a lunch break, coffee run, or even a quick bathroom trip) to check in with their other half.

These small notes may seem insignificant, but they’re powerful mood-boosters — and a simple way to make your partner feel seen. Not only does this nurture your sense of intimacy in the midst of a hectic day, but it’ll also bless you with a little hit of midday motivation: a reminder of the person waiting for you at home. 

Stress from the workday has a sneaky way of bleeding into time with your partner, whether it’s through email-checking or a snappy tone.

That’s why the happiest couples take a few minutes to unwind alone after the workday ends. Whether it’s a solo walk, a quick workout, or just zoning out with a snack and your favorite TV show, this “me time” helps clear the mental clutter so you can show up more present and patient for your partner.

It might sound counterintuitive, but sometimes the best way to reconnect is to recharge separately first.

Evenings can be dominated by separate routines — one partner cleans up while the other scrolls on their phone, or both crash on opposite ends of the couch.

But the happiest couples intentionally carve out one shared moment every day. No distractions, no multitasking. Maybe it’s sitting down to dinner together, playing a quick game, or watching your favorite trivia show while shouting answers at the screen. Even five minutes of undivided attention can go a long way.

What it looks like doesn’t matter. It only needs to be shared, and fiercely protected. No kids, no chores, no notifications allowed.

These nightly “audits” aren’t meant to solve problems, but they do help you stay emotionally aligned and prevent little issues from becoming bigger ones. It’s just a matter of simple questions and even simpler answers: “How are you, really?” or “Are we okay?”

Some nights, it might be statement-based: all the thank yous, sorries, or little thoughts you may not have had the time to share during the day.

Quick, nightly audits ensure that nothing goes unsaid throughout the week, only to spill out on the weekends. Most importantly, they’re the best way to tend to your connection, without exhausting yourselves in the process.

Mark Travers, PhD, is a psychologist who specializes in relationships. He holds degrees from Cornell University and the University of Colorado Boulder. He is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, a telehealth company that provides online psychotherapy, counseling, and coaching. He is also the curator of the popular mental health and wellness website, Therapytips.org.

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Brooke Cooper was 12 years old when she thought her career in baseball was over.

She had aged out of her local Little League offerings and there were no more opportunities for girls to play the sport, Cooper tells CNBC Make It. She tried playing softball next, which is traditionally seen as the female counterpart to baseball, but says she “didn’t have the same passion.”

“I loved playing baseball,” Cooper, now 33, says. “I never pictured I could have a career in baseball.”

In March 2024, Cooper became the general manager of the Worcester Red Sox, a Triple-A minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, in Worcester, Massachusetts. She is the first female general manager in Boston Red Sox franchise history.

However, Cooper says she was rejected the first time she applied for an internship with the team, then known as the Pawtucket Red Sox. That summer, the then 20-year-old waited tables and volunteered at a sports marketing firm instead, she says.

Two years later, she says she applied for the merchandising internship again, this time as an MBA student at Providence College, and got the job.

“The first time, I tried to play it cool, which sounds so ridiculous because I was 20 years old and had no idea what I was doing,” she says. “That second time, I made it so clear how much I wanted it, how hard I would work, and I’m sure I probably had a better sense of maturity a couple of years later.”

As an intern, Cooper says she balanced business school classes with vacuuming and managing merchandise inventory in the team store.

“I was running my own small business within the larger business,” and while the gig only paid her minimum wage, she says the experience itself was “professionally fulfilling.”

Soon, she began climbing the ranks, first as an assistant to the director of merchandising, and then a manager of merchandising. As the team’s director of marketing and merchandising, she helped temporarily rebrand the Pawtucket Red Sox to the Hot Wieners in 2018. In 2021 she was promoted to the vice president of marketing, and the year after she became the team’s assistant general manager.

When Cooper started with the Worcester Red Sox in 2015, she says she didn’t think it was possible to have a career in professional baseball. There was only one other woman working for the team’s front office, and Cooper says her dream was to open a community center similar to a YMCA or Boys and Girls Club anyways.

“I say I don’t have imposter syndrome, and then when I describe it, it’s the definition of imposter syndrome,” Cooper says.

Looking back, she says having that imposter syndrome ended up working to her benefit because it allowed her to speak up and share her candid thoughts with managers and in meetings without being afraid of losing the job.  

Cooper never felt singled out for being a woman either, she says. Her managers and team leadership have treated every promotion as a matter of fact, recognizing her as the best person for the job, she says. Becoming the Red Sox franchise’s first female general manager wasn’t “a big deal” in her organization until it was publicly announced, Cooper says.

Of the 120 Minor League Baseball teams that serve as developmental programs for 30 Major League Baseball teams, 14 were led by female general managers in the 2025 season, according to the league. In 2020, Kim Ng was became the first and only female general manager to lead a Major League Baseball team. Ng left her role with the Miami Marlins in 2023.

“I’m really, really happy to be part of an organization where this can be normalized,” Cooper says of the Worcester Red Sox. “I find working in Minor League Baseball professionally challenging in a good way, and also very personally fulfilling … I am kind of living out my dream.”

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In successful relationships, both partners feel emotionally secure, connected, and comfortable being themselves around each other. But for many of us, romantic relationships can bring out our deepest insecurities.

As a Harvard-trained psychologist who works with couples, I often tell people that emotional security in a relationship starts with seeing yourself as worthy of love, and trusting that your partner is accepting, caring, and truly committed — through the highs and the lows.

Couples who truly trust each other use seven phrases every day, and they should be relationship goals for all of us.

Feeling safe in a relationship means never having to hide parts of yourself. You are comfortable being vulnerable when talking about painful or difficult topics because you trust that your partner will respond with compassion, not judgement.

Similar phrases:

• “Thank you for loving me as I am.”
• “I appreciate that I can be myself with you.”

Trust is the foundation of emotional security. You believe that your partner’s words and actions align, whether you’re together or apart. You know who they are and you believe they have your best interest in mind.

Similar phrases:

• “Thank you for being respectful of me and our relationship.”
• “We’re a team, and I trust that you want what’s best for the both of us.”

Even the most emotionally secure couples have conflict. What differentiates them is how they handle it. They don’t panic or threaten to leave during disagreements because they trust that the relationship can weather the storms.

Similar phrases:

• “One tough phase doesn’t mean it’s over for us.”
• “Let’s figure this out together.”

People who trust their partners don’t feel threatened during time apart. Alone time feels natural. They respect each other’s need for independence, knowing that it strengthens the relationship.

Similar phrases:

• “I’m glad you’re making time for yourself.”
• “Thanks for giving me the space when I need it, too.”

Missing someone doesn’t mean you’re clingy — it means you’re connected. Even when you support each other’s personal space, you still look forward to being together.

Similar phrases:

• “Being apart helps me realize how grateful I am for you.”
• “I’m excited to see you when you get home.”

Secure relationships make room for hard conversations. When something feels off, you’re not afraid to speak up because you believe your partner will be nurturing and listen with care.

Similar phrases:

• “There’s something I’d like to check in about.”
• “I’ve been feeling a little off and I want to make sure we’re okay.”

Looking forward to the future, whether it’s date night or a shared life goal, indicates mutual investment in the relationship. You see your partner in your long-term vision, and they see you in theirs.

Similar phrases:

• “Can we go over our schedules?”
• “I’m really looking forward to our trip.”

Sharing intimate information about ourselves with our partners isn’t easy. It makes us vulnerable — and if we aren’t met with empathy, it can really hurt.

But the goal is to be in a relationship where we can be fully seen, fully known, and fully accepted. It doesn’t happen overnight, though. It requires conscious effort, and it means learning to accept yourself first, seeing your partner for who they truly are, and committing to growing together over time.

Dr. Cortney S. Warren, PhD, is a board-certified psychologist and author of the new book “Letting Go of Your Ex.” She specializes in romantic relationships, addictive behavior, and honesty. She received her clinical training at Harvard Medical School after earning her doctorate in clinical psychology from Texas A&M University. Follow her on Instagram @DrCortneyWarren or Twitter @DrCortneyWarren.

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For the past eight decades, Andrew Bostinto has trained for bodybuilding, and he still competes today at 100 years old.

This May, just four months after his 100th birthday, Bostinto won top honors and a championship belt at National Gym Association Inc.’s (NGA) physique contest. He’s also the founder and CEO of NGA, a not-for-profit bodybuilding association.

“I never thought about getting old. This is what I do today, I’ll do this tomorrow,” Bostinto tells CNBC Make It.

Bostinto has had a lifelong committment to fitness. “I started much younger than 13. I was working out in the park already,” he says. “I became good at it. I became a gymnast and hand balancer. Then at 17, I was already modeling.”

He won “Senior Mr. America” at age 52 in 1977. But Bostinto, who is a World War II veteran, says that of all his achievements, he is most proud of his 29 years of service in the U.S. Army.

His best advice for people who want to stay healthy and in good shape for as long as possible is simple. “Number one thing is to know what you want to accomplish,” he says. “Commit yourself to it. Be disciplined. Don’t listen to people telling you you’re wasting your time. Don’t listen to negatives.”

Here’s how Bostinto shapes his life for optimal health and wellness.

Diet

When Bostinto was training for competitions as a younger man, he “ate high proteins, low carbohydrates, two fruits, two salads [and] 15 glasses of water,” a day.

Now, he says, he doesn’t need to eat quite as much, but he still focuses on getting lots of protein. He typically opts for scrambled eggs, yogurts and spaghetti and meatballs.

“I don’t overeat anything. Everything I eat, I control. I don’t want something greasy,” Bostinto says. “I never smoked, never drank.”

Exercise

Even at 100, Bostinto still trains five to six days a week, he said in an interview earlier this year with Muscle & Fitness, a magazine about bodybuilding and fitness.

“Physically, I’m in good shape,” Bostinto says. “I’m here doing push-ups against the counter. But when I go to the gym, I do six [to] seven basic exercises.”

He tries to follow the same training system that he used for bodybuilding in the past, but sometimes he has to make modifications, like when he was recovering from a stroke, or when managing the persistent leg issue he developed from his time in the military.

Still, his workout routine is pretty impressive for a 100-year-old.

“I do dips and [chin-ups]. I could do knee-ups. I can do ab work,” Bostinto says. “I can do anything, any place, anywhere.”

Mindset

Bostinto knows what he’s doing isn’t ordinary at his age, but “as long as I love what I am doing, I should keep doing it,” he told Muscle & Fitness.

Exercise, Bostinto tells Make It, was a guiding light at a time when he needed one. “My mother never had a penny in her pocket,” he says. “I never had a Christmas present, birthday presents. Never had anything. I dealt with it.”

Where he started in life reminds him of just how far he’s come. That, he says, is what motivates him to continue to work and succeed. Both in bodybuilding, and in life, Bostinto says that he is driven by the goals he wants to achieve for himself — not the opinions or judgments of others.

“I didn’t train for other people. I remember when I was 17, some girls used to see my picture, [and say] ‘Oh, I don’t like that,’” he recalls. “I didn’t train for women. I trained for me. It’s something I was able to do, and [say], ‘Look what I did for myself.’”

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