episodes

We love the freedom of summer, but with it comes the familiar complaint of "We're bored!” The simplest solution to kid boredom may be to do less. Structure the day with basic categories of activities, but leave lots of free time for “kids' choice.”

Olivia Martinez-Hauge is a mom of three kids, two with neurodiversity. She’s also a therapist who treats individuals and families who caregive. We talk parenting special-needs kids, plus how to be better allies to friends who might be on that path.

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!

What kind of monster listens to videos on speaker? Or keeps the keyboard clicks on their phone? What kind of monster takes up two parking spots? Puts empty cereal boxes back in the cabinet? (Disclaimer: we may have been just a few of these monsters.)

We can see clearly the effects of birth order both in our own families and in our families of origin. But is that a bad thing? Is it a thing to fight back against? And is it a problem if our own birth order has shaped who we are and how we parent?

We sometimes worry about kids keeping secrets, but some level of secrecy is appropriate for kids. It’s important to help kids learn which secrets are OK (like surprises). Here’s how to talk about keeping other people's confidences, early and often.

Dr. Dawn Huebner’s latest book is The Sibling Survival Guide: Surefire Ways to Solve Conflicts, Reduce Rivalry, and Have More Fun with Your Brothers and Sisters, which gives kids the power to "stop feeling so bothered and start having more fun."

Can we become more inclusive as parents? We discuss how to get more intentionally welcoming in our family lives and communities, how to bring our kids into that conversation, and how inclusivity benefits us just as much as the one we’re welcoming.

Stuttering occurs when a child's speech development lags behind what they want to say. It's best not to finish their sentences or focus on it. But "ignore it" doesn't necessarily mean "never get a professional opinion or seek therapeutic support."

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.

It's hard to admit things aren't perfect.It's especially hard for moms. "Socially mediated" perfectionism happens when a culture has unrealistic demands for a person or group, then punishes them when they falls short.Sound familiar?Here’s what to do.

As long as there have been grandparents there have been grandparents who say "I would love to give you this brownie but your mom won't let me". How much does this undermining hurt our parenting? If we address this behavior with the grandparent in question and stay firm with our own parenting choice…

Ellen Kahn is an expert on LGBTQ youth and family life. She tells us how parents can create a home environment that affirms and accepts LGBTQ children, and how we can advocate for LGBTQ kids in the larger world, whether they're our own kids or not.

An "Achilles Heel" is a weakness in spite of overall strength that when exploited by our enemies can lead to our tragic downfalls. From whistling to growth spurts to the constant, constant talking, here are our greatest weaknesses as moms and humans.

How can a mom feel okay about protecting her newborn in a post-pandemic world? Take advantage of warmer weather to do things outside; keep masks on if that makes you more comfortable; and don't accept the burden of Other People's Feelings About That.

Kira Dorrian and Deana Thayer are the co-founders of Future Focused Parenting, the philosophy that starts with the end in mind. They explain how future-focused parenting can make daily parenting decisions clearer, both for ourselves and for our kids.

These days we're both alternating periods of social-butterfly celebration with times we’re still hiding under the covers. Reemergence is a process. Here's how we’re getting more intentional about reestablishing the friendships we’ve missed the most.

When do we begin difficult conversations with our kids about consent? We can do it early and often, when it’s in an age-appropriate manner. Here’s how to introduce the topic of consent to kids and how to keep those conversations going as they grow.

Feeling disconnected from your community after this hard year? Never had a great support system in the first place? Radha Agrawal explains how to build a joy practice, and the possibilities that exist to get intentional about finding our people.

Our kids’ summer plans keep evolving, for the better and the more confusing. We’re excited by the possibilities for a real summer this year, but figuring out the new rules seems to be once again kind of up to us. Here’s how we (might) make our plans.

Whether it's Pokémon cards, LEGOs or LOL Surprise Dolls, kids want stuff. It doesn't help that some collectibles are designed and marketed to make our kids crave more and more. Here’s how to help our kids control their urges to have all the things.

Kids are hardwired to push our buttons. We’re hardwired to freak out when they do. Carla Naumburg, social worker, mother, and author of HOW TO STOP LOSING YOUR SH*T WITH YOUR KIDS, explains how managing our triggers can help us stop the meltdowns.

Behaviorist James Clear says one should "measure to see if you're actually spending time on the things that are important to you." We agree– as long as we remember that 9,000 steps is great, inbox 1000 is totally fine, and "perfect" is always a lie.

On this first episode of our sister podcast, Toddler Purgatory, Blaire and Molly discuss the challenges of life with their tiny, ruthlessly honest, tantrum-having, often stinky carbon copies.Subscribe/follow TODDLER PURGATORY where you listen or at toddlerpurgatory.com.