episodes

We’re back with things that don’t exist but definitely should, from dishwasher-safe waffle makers to uninterrupted showers. This ep is full of $1,000,000 ideas… and OK, some $100 ideas too. But we deserve a world in which all these things …

How do we get our kids to open up to us about their days at school? When our kids say “nothing” happened, are we supposed to push harder, or let them just sit there? Here’s how to get kids talking– …

Stress affects the female brain very differently from the male brain, especially at puberty. Donna Jackson Nakazawa tells us about the increased rates of anxiety and depression in girls–and what we can do about it– in her new book GIRLS …

What do lustful elves, Lizzo, and Jeopardy all have in common? They're on Amy and Margaret's reading/watching/listening list this fall. So get your Kindle, plug in your headphones, and retrieve the remote from wherever the kids (or spouse) have stashed …

If your kid has lots of acquaintances but no close friends, is something amiss? Is it time to pull out the conversation cue cards on the playground? Margaret explores different reasons that kids may not have close friends.

Dr. Becky Kennedy, host of the "Good Inside with Dr. Becky" podcast and @drbeckyatgoodinside on Instagram, tells us how the “Good Inside” approach can reshape how we view both ourselves as parents and our children,and about her new book GOOD …

Do your kids have chore charts? Do they help out anyhow, if not? Do they get paid an allowance? And does that allowance have anything to do with the doing of chores? We see these issues pretty differently. In this …

Does your parenting partner have a social life while you stay home? Has it been ages since you’ve seen your pals? Does it feel easier not to go out then to come home to a huge mess? Here’s how to …

Is your 6th grader’s travel lacrosse schedule taking over your life? Are you spending $20K a year on youth hockey? Linda Flanagan’s new book is TAKE BACK THE GAME, and in this episode she explains how youth sports have been …

School supplies. Pre-season sports. Parent portals. Uniform pants that don’t fit the night before the first day. Back to school means the return of so many fun activities for kids, and so many fresh hells for parents. Here are a …

Bring out your whiteboards! A listener asks for advice about afterschool routines for her two boys, and Margaret recommends writing down tasks, some unstructured time, and "feeding your beasts."

Tiffany Jenkins is as hilarious as she is honest. She’s a comedian, blogger, author, podcaster, and mom who uses her platforms to help and inspire others struggling with motherhood, mental health, and addiction, and those who just need a good …

Everyone needs an ‘Attaboy!’ every once in a while. When you’re a mom, you usually have to give it to yourself. Whether it’s super-scheduling prowess or the ability to soothe a bleeding toddler in 10 seconds, here are our listeners’ …

What’s it really like to have a kid away at college? Sure, drop-off day is hard, but there are also real benefits to this shift in the parent/child relationship. If you’re dreading an upcoming transition, Amy’s perspective will improve your …

The college financial aid process can make parents feel overwhelmed and frustrated. Ron Lieber, author of THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR COLLEGE, says it’s not our fault: the system is designed to confound. Here’s how to approach this huge financial …

Forgotten luggage. Strollers that won’t fold. The best-laid family vacation plans quickly sour when there's a monster who forgot to pack the bathing suits. Here are some vacation monsters we’ve met. Full disclosure: sometimes the monster is us.

Margaret answers a question from a listener who wants to know how to encourage her kids to keep their rooms and the playroom clean.

When should we get our kids phones? And is “delay as long as possible” an option? Catherine Pearlman, author of the book First Phone, tells us how kids can become wiser about the responsibilities of social media, digital consent, and …

Our brains are wired for story. That doesn’t mean that the stories we tell ourselves are always accurate–or that the alternative stories others may have are necessarily wrong. Here’s how to identify–and change–the stories we tell ourselves.

This week Amy tackles the question, "When should I start letting my kids have sleepovers?"

JoAnn Crohn is the creator of “No Guilt Mom” and a former middle-school teacher. She believes that some of the behavioral control strategies she learned in teacher training can be counterproductive, and especially at home. Here’s what to try instead.

Babysitters in all of the stores! Penumbras on our cars! One charger to rule them all! We asked our listeners what they wished WAS a thing, and they came up with some million-dollar ideas that Amy and Margaret definitely intend …

It is important for parents to model body acceptance and intuitive eating for our kids, which can mean changing our own scripts as well.

Anya Kamenetz, author of The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed Children's Lives, and Where We Go Now, says the US got pandemic schooling “more wrong” than other wealthy countries. Anya explains how and why decisions were made that put children …