episodes

No one wants to be a helicopter parent. Every parent needs to be helpful. But how much, how often, and how can we find the best overall balance?

Why do we care so much what other people think? Does anyone truly possess the magical ability to ignore the judgments of others? How do we tell the difference between whose opinions matter and whose definitely do not?

We all know our kids should have less screen time. Achieving that is easier said than done. Emily Cherkin, author of THE SCREENTIME SOLUTION, offers tips for becoming "tech-intentional" as a family.

Does the thought of leaving your kids for a few days terrify you? Here are some parenting tips to prepare for all of the eventualities that may occur if you leave town, from interpreting the toddler's babble to handling your feelings of mom guilt.

What fight are you no longer willing to have? Is it making the bed? Eating what you cook? Matching pants with shirts every day? Sometimes the smartest thing you can do in your endless tug-of-war over small things is to drop the rope.

We chat with Jo Piazza, author of the juicy new book THE SICILIAN INHERITANCE and host of the podcast UNDER THE INFLUENCE WITH JO PIAZZA.

Time for some easy wins! Here of some of our (and our listeners') favorite hacks for naptime, diapers, laundry, cooking, snow days, sibling squabbles, and General Sanity Preservation. This stuff really works!

Is there one person in your family who keeps everyone in touch, who maintains the traditions, who keeps things going? And is that person you? That is the work of kinkeeping.

Margaret Quinlan and Bethany Johnson are co-authors of You’re Doing it Wrong! Mothering, Media and Medical Expertise, which investigates the history of mothering advice from the 1800s to now. Turns out, perfectionism in motherhood is an old dictate.

Whistling inside? No baseball caps at dinner? No showers during a lightning storm? What odd rules of life did Amy and Margaret once cling to?

How do we relieve ourselves of the pressure to make every summer day Pinterest-worthy for our children, especially when all we do is break up fights and tell them no? Amy helps a listener combat her end-of-summer scaries.

How can we move away from the harmful parenting techniques we experienced when parenting our own children? Chazz Lewis, host of the podcast "Learning Curve with Mr. Chazz," gives us practical tips for tough parenting moments.

Is your house full of bickering siblings? Is it really all about competition for parental attention? If sibling rivalry is taking over in your house, here's how to foster more cooperation and navigate the conflict.

Miss Rachel on an eternal loop, or Baby Shark? Long flight with toddlers, or long road trip? It's the Mom Edition of the time-honored game WOULD YOU RATHER?

What does it mean to be a dad in today's world, and how has the role of fathers changed over time? Lucas Mann, author of ATTACHMENTS: ESSAYS ON FATHERHOOD AND OTHER PERFORMANCES, tells us about his experiences and his writing process.

What's the absolutely dumbest thing that you fully believed as a child? We asked our listeners, and share some of their—and our—most deeply held misbeliefs.

Why is it that when we are struggling, other people feel the need to put a silver lining on all of our rain clouds? In this episode we unearth the psychology behind toxic positivity, and how focusing on staying positive at all costs can actually hurt us in the long run.

What are the important differences, both obvious and hidden, in the way we raise boys and the way we raise girls? Ruth Whippman, author of the new book BOYMOM, explains where modern parenting advice for raising boys often misses the mark.

Is your kid being bullied? Should you as the parent get involved? Will that only make things worse? It's easy to feel helpless at these times. Getting clear about what's happening can help.

Ah, summer! Time for relaxing. Just as soon as we get through the end-of-year craziness and sign each of our kids up for ten camps.

“Other countries have social safety nets. The U.S. has women.” Sociologist Jessica Calarco, author of the new book HOLDING IT TOGETHER: How Women Became America's Safety Net, explains how we can start changing that narrative.

Traveling with siblings and in-laws and parents and cousins can be an incredible experience. It can also lead to unexpected conflict. Here's what to agree upon ahead of time.

Why do all mothers feel like failures sometimes? Is it the 24/7 job description? The high stakes of nurturing small humans? A culture which tells us no matter how hard we try, there’s another mom doing it better? All of the above. Here’s what works.

Historian Sarah Gristwood studied 400 years of women's diaries and found many common threads. Her book SECRET VOICES highlights the stories that women have traditionally kept to themselves, and why those stories matter.