episodes

Nowadays, it's completely possible to load our kids up on activities to the point of exhaustion—theirs and ours. Why do we do it, how is it really affecting our kids, and what questions should we be asking when adding a new activity to the lineup?

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.

How should we prepare our daughters for the sexism and bias they will encounter out there in the world? Dr. Jo-Ann Finkelstein, author of SEXISM AND SENSIBILITY, tells us how to give our girls a sense of agency.

What happened to your formerly sweet and agreeable child, who woke up on the wrong side of the bed one day and never stopped whining? How does one try to restore equilibrium?

It's back to school, back to morning insanity, back to seventeen different after-school activities per kid! We asked our listeners for their best back-to-school tips - or their biggest complaints.

What does it mean to “escape poverty” in the U.S.? In his new book HOW FAR TO THE PROMISED LAND, Esau McCaulley questions the narrative of exceptionalism that he, and other Black survivors, are conditioned to give when they “make it” in America.

Kids have a knack for asking questions that are tricky, painful, or impossible to answer. How can we answer our kids' tough questions effectively, especially when the answers are hard—or don't exist?

From packing the laundry to eating the same lunch every day for five years to toothbrushes in the kitchen, these are our listeners' ideas that don't sound so crazy, come to think of it.

How do we set our kids up to have a healthy relationship with food and with their bodies, no matter what they look like? Jill Castle, author of KIDS THRIVE AT EVERY SIZE, tells us how to raise kids that eat healthy and love who they are.

What celebrity-in-waiting did you once hang out with at summer camp? What state fair championships did you achieve as a 10-year-old? We asked our audience about their various claims to minor fame—here's what they said.

Are you a rule breaker or a rule follower? Are you married to your opposite? In this episode we discuss how these two kinds of people bump up against each other– especially in our own families– and how we try to find a little balance.

Judith Warner’s book AND THEN THEY STOPPED TALKING TO ME: MAKING SENSE OF MIDDLE SCHOOL investigates what can be a truly painful period. Our parenting of tweens can also be affected by our memories of that time, and Warner explains why that matters.

Fear is an uncomfortable, but healthy—and necessary—human emotion. How can we help our kids face their fears in healthy and age-appropriate ways?

As soon as you become a mother, unsolicited advice-givers are everywhere, telling you to “sleep when the baby sleeps.” Or “it gets easier.” Or “enjoy every moment.” Out of all the advice that we and our listeners have received, here is the very worst.

How do we stay close to our teens as they grow more independent? Amy Betters-Midtvedt, author of the new book YOU'LL MAKE IT (AND THEY WILL TOO), offers some practical parenting tips for navigating our relationships with our adolescents.

Competitive parenting is a trap—and one it can be hard to avoid. But if "mompetition" isn't the answer, and comparing is despairing, are there ways we can compare our parenting and our kids' progress that are actually useful?

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 fall short. Sound familiar? Here’s what to do.

Climate change is affecting our children's health and our future. But what can we as individuals do about it? Debra Hendrickson, author of THE AIR THEY BREATHE, explains why it matters and what steps we can take.

It's not always—or even often—in our control, but what is the ideal spacing for siblings? Our listeners who had kids close together—and far apart—explain why it's worked for their families.

Having the same fight doesn’t mean your relationship is broken. But it is totally annoying. Here are the modes of negativity that are at work when we repeat the same conflicts- and what we can do to break the cycle, whether it’s our partners or kids.

Why are we so bad at asking for what we need? How do small disagreements somehow turn into big blowouts? Erin and Stephen Mitchell, authors of TOO TIRED TO FIGHT, offer practical tips for communicating with your partner without escalating conflict.

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.