episodes

Pacifiers in the crib. Juice in the sippy cup. Popsicles in the bathtub. We all have exceptions that we make to the so-called parenting “rules” in the interest of our own sanity. Our listeners share which parenting rules they break and why.

Many of us have had the drop-off experience where our kid cries and just won't let go of us. How do we help our kids through separation anxiety and make them understand that we don’t go poof when we leave for work?

You can think you’ve accounted for every variable as a parent, but then something happens that turns everything upside down. This week, Mary Laura Philpott, author of Bomb Shelter, discusses the unexpected variables in her life and how she copes.

It was my husband. In the kitchen. With the dirty cup. AGAIN. Our partners do things that drive us mad. And sometimes it affects our parenting or our marriages. How do we make our partners truly understand what we need? Besides hiding all the cups?

Getting a cancer diagnosis turns everything upside down. And helping your kids understand the situation is a daunting prospect. This week, Margaret talks about the support systems we can use to make the task easier--and reminds us we’re not alone.

Anxious kids don’t always behave like anxious adults. What works to help anxious kids also differs. In this “Best Of” episode Dr. Lisa Damour, host of “Ask Dr. Lisa” and author of UNDER PRESSURE, gives strategies to help kids “settle their glitter.”

Peer pressure affects everyone in the human species, and even some self-conscious monkeys. What is it about sitting with the cool kids, and how can we help our own kids understand they don’t have to follow all of the other lemmings over the cliff?

When kids reach school age they become aware of what others might think. Social comparison with peers comes into play– and when another kid gets “student of the week” or a T-ball grand slam or any benchmark of childhood achievement, so can jealousy.

Starting the conversation about racism with kids is tricky. But there is a way to instill curiosity, engagement, and excitement in both yourself and your child as you embark on your journey to practice antiracism each and every day.

From bikinis for six-year-olds to leprechaun traps to over-the-top holiday traditions, there are so many trends and traditions that shouldn’t exist. We asked our listeners what shouldn’t be a thing anymore, and they responded in force…

When your child’s 8 p.m. bedtime becomes 9 p.m. and then 10 p.m., it's called “bedtime creep." How can we enforce better and more consistent rules around bedtime and get everyone more sleep?

Cat and Nat’s hilarious #momtruths videos have garnered millions of views. They’re also best friends in real life. They tell us about their new book CAT AND NAT’S MOM SECRETS, and why a good marriage helps, but what we all need is a mom BFF.

We might think “kids today” get away with more than we did, but people have complained about “spoiled” children since the 1600s. What does it mean for a kid to be spoiled? How can we avoid raising our own spoiled kids and what happens when we’re stuck with someone else’s?

When our kid is being bullied, how do we intervene without making things worse? And what if the bully is a former friend? The key is finding a way protect your kids without going full-on Mama Bear.

Bobbi Rebell is the author of the new book LAUNCHING FINANCIAL GROWNUPS. In this interview, she explains how to discuss financial matters with our kids early and often, in order to raise young people who understand money once they leave the nest.

“Toxic positivity” has become a buzzword, but what does it actually mean and why is it that we feel a need to put a silver lining on all of our rain clouds? In this episode we unearth the science behind toxic positivity and how an obsessive desire to stay positive can actually hurt us in the long r…

Bath time can be a fun-time splash-o-rama or it can be a tantrum-fest. So what do we do when it's the latter and our kids absolutely refuse to get their hair washed? Like, “scream and cry” refuse? Margaret takes us to the tub this week with bath time tips that ease kids fears.

Abby Medcalf, author of “Be Happily Married, Even if Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing,” and host of the “Relationships Made Easy” Podcast, discusses how to move out of competition mindset with our partners and into cooperation and connection.

When you find out about a little kid's crush it may be the first time you are learning something "secret" about them. We talk about kid crushes, tweens’ dating habits, and how to talk to your kid if they have their eye on someone.

People’s comments about how tiny our child is, or how chubby, can really get to us– even when it’s intended as a compliment, or at least as a sincere inquiry. Here’s what to say when nosy strangers, neighbors, or relatives comment on our kid’s size.

How can we think bigger even when we don’t have time to shower? How can we stop shrinking and start shining? We talk about how to live bigger, bolder and braver with Sara Dean, host of The Shameless Mom Academy podcast and the Momentum Mamas.

We asked our listeners to tell us about their pettiest and most long-held grudges. From spelling-bee unfairness to pumpkin-farm price gouging, we spill the tea on our own petty grudges and share some of your most hilarious answers.

Some families are "all Disney all the time". Some prefer “one and done.” And for some folks the very idea is a "nope, never". Margaret talks about her own family’s recent trip to Disney World and her ideas on making your own family's trip a success.

Intuitive eating starts with believing our kids deserve to feel lovable, worthy, and accepted, no matter what their bodies look like. Nutritionist Amee Severson, co-author of HOW TO RAISE AN INTUITIVE EATER, tells us how to start living that message.