As parents, we are prone to coddling our kids. We’ll envelop them in bubble wrap to keep them safe, but sometimes we just need to let kids be kids and allow them to enter the danger zone. That’s the apprehensive advice being put forth by Buzz Bishop of Dad Camp, reminding us that playgrounds are supposed to be dangerous in order for them to be challenging. And that’s quite different from the concerns over stranger danger you may have.

Next up on this week’s speedlink, we turn our attention to Joseph Planta from The Commentary as he goes “on the line” with author Chris Bailey. In trying to figure out how he could accomplish more, Bailey set out on a series of productivity experiments. He adjusted this sleeping habits. He adjusted the sheer number of hours he worked. And through it all, he has discovered tremendous insight into how to better manage “your time, attention and energy.”

It is oftentimes assumed that the only way for you to achieve financial independence is to earn an income that is far above average. Trent Hamm disagrees, saying that families really enter the danger zone when they simply spend beyond the their means. You can move toward financial independence on a more modest family income if you get serious about frugality, work hard to eliminate your debts, and consider earning money in your spare time. Did you know that three-quarters of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck?

Most of us have this vision of the perfect marriage where the couple is always smiling and they never argue. Of course, reality doesn’t quite work that way and Pete Wilgoren has stumbled across what he thinks might be the secret to a happy marriage: fighting. This isn’t to say that you should be at each other’s throats all the time, but you fight “because WE care.” You should be worried when your partner decides you’re “not worth fighting with” anymore.

And finally, we arrive at a decadent treat that’s actually good for you. Putting an entirely different spin on a trusted classic, Laura Murray shares her recipe for dark chocolate peanut butter brownies. The difference? It’s got black beans in it. This is certainly not the kind of brownie you’d find coming out of most ovens. You get plenty of protein and fiber without any added oil or fat in this guilt-free dessert.