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Jen Babakhan

Jen Babakhan is an author and credentialed educator living in California. She writes regularly about advice and culture for Reader's Digest. She is also the author of Detoured: The Messy, Grace-Filled Journey From Working Professional to Stay-at-Home Mom (Harvest House Publishers, 2019). She earned her BA in Communication Studies from California State University, Stanislaus. You can follow her on Instagram @JenBabakhan , Twitter @JenBabakhan, and Facebook @JenBabakhanauthor.
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11 Bad Parenting Traits You Have—Without Even Knowing It

Toxic parenting techniques can sneak into your everyday interactions, no matter how well-intentioned you are. Here's how to spot your own bad parenting traits, and break the cycle before the damage is done.

I Have ADHD—And Here’s Why It’s My Superpower

If you think having ADHD is a hindrance, Peter Shankman is about to change your...

This Man’s Rattlesnake Bite Is a Warning to Everyone to Take Animal Bites More Seriously

You wouldn't think a baby rattlesnake could do so much damage, but Austin McGee knows...

Twists of Fate That Saved These People’s Lives on 9/11

On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 people lost their lives—and these seven people could have...

8 Adoptees Who Found Their Birth Parents Through DNA Kits

Who knew that swabbing your cheek could result in family reunions across the world? A...

My Heart Palpitations Turned Out to Be Lung Cancer

Every five minutes an American woman is diagnosed with lung cancer. After her diagnosis, Colette...
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10 Sneaky Sources of Stress at Work—And How to Fix Them

The National Institute For Occupational Safety and Health says a quarter of us list work...

My “Hernia” Turned Out to Be Stage 3 Melanoma

This woman's love of the outdoors led to a diagnosis of melanoma. Now Sara Langill...

My “Sprained Ankles” Turned Out to Be Uncontrolled Gout

After repeated ankle sprains—and no memory of turning his ankle—this man knew something strange was...

17 Reasons My Favorite Teacher Changed My Life

It only takes one person to make a difference in the life of another—and teachers...

I Lost 120 Pounds—Without Giving Up Pizza

This pizza store manager tried and failed to lose weight several times. It wasn't until...

Doctors Think My Cancer Can’t Be Treated—So I Raised $6.5 Million to Prove Them Wrong

David Hysong's doctors said his rare cancer has no treatment. Now he's racing against time...

I Got Bunion Surgery—and I Was Walking 3 Days Later

More than three million Americans a year are diagnosed with bunions, yet few seek treatment...

My “Abdominal Pain” Turned out to Be Colon Cancer

Amy Driben-Salcedo dismissed the burning in her abdomen as an ulcer—until a colonoscopy revealed she...

This Slow Cooker Mistake Gave Me Food Poisoning

One simple mistake while cooking a vegan stew almost put this woman in the hospital....

This 16-Year-Old Couldn’t Find Relief for His Arthritis Pain—So He Invented His Own Treatment

When back and joint pain derailed this teen's life, his search for relief led to...

I Suffered from Severe IBS for 18 Years till One Treatment Changed Everything

Nearly 16 million Americans suffer from IBS-D, or irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea. Dawn Cobb...

My “Nagging Headache” Turned out to Be a Stroke

Her "headache" was a stroke, and it almost killed her. Now she's on a mission...

I Was About to Lose My Battle with Kidney Cancer—Until This New Treatment Saved My Life

After Ed Doelp was diagnosed with kidney cancer, he had no idea it would take...

My “Pregnancy Symptoms” Turned Out to Be Heart Valve Disease

Stacey-Ann Walker was pregnant with her first child when she learned that her heart was...

I Had a Heart Attack at Age 21

After losing her mother and then suffering a heart attack, Molly Schroeder is on a...