episodes

These days puberty starts sooner and lasts longer. That requires not one "The Talk," but a hundred small conversations. Dr. Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett, co-authors of THIS IS SO AWKWARD, offer tips for getting started.

What cringey moment do you lie awake at night thinking about, 5, 10, or 20 years later? That's what we asked our listeners, and let's just say we're embarrassed FOR them.

What do we do when our kids' frustration causes them to direct their anger inward and call themselves stupid and worthless? Amy has suggestions for showing kids their worth consistently- not only when they're at their lowest.

How can we help our kids in this age of anxiety, when we can't make it go away, and we don't we have all the answers? Guests: Catherine McCarthy, Heather Tedesco, and Jennifer Weaver, authors of the new book RAISING …

A recent New York magazine article suggested that new parenthood is the single greatest threat to our adult friendships. How do we hang on to our friends without kids? When is it OK to let them go?

Kids' restrictions on their devices vary widely from household to household. But what about when kids come to play at your house? How can you maintain firm boundaries without making your house the "unfun" one?

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 …

How do we handle the differing expectations, caretaking styles, and cultural traditions within extended families? Amy and Margaret discuss the value of relationships with extended family (while taking a moment to brag about their own relatives!)

What do we do when our child takes forever to get ready for bed? How do we get them back on track without too many tears? Amy gives suggestions to a listener.

Mom rage is something we don't like to admit exists—but Minna Dubin, author of the new book MOM RAGE, found that each of us only thinks we're alone for having had these moments. Here's why.

Back to school, back to home from school with an itchy throat. Here's how to keep sick kids happily busy, when to keep them home, and when they just might be pulling one over on you.

How do we cull some of our kids' least-played-with toys without going down to tantrum town? Margaret gives some tips for helping kids say goodbye to toys they no longer need or use.

Most of us have been posting about our children since they were born. Once they get phones, they post about themselves. Devorah Heitner, author of GROWING UP IN PUBLIC, explains how to help kids navigate their own privacy.

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 do we do when our child makes hurtful or rude comments to family members? Here's how to turn those embarrassing moments into teachable ones.

How do we stop ourselves from "overparenting" our kids and let them find their own agency? Dr. Emily Edlynn, author of the book "Autonomy-Supportive Parenting" explains how to foster independence in our kids.

If someone were to drop your name as the perfect person for a job, what would that job be? Remembering dates for random events? Sensible homesteading? Running efficient meetings?

How do we avoid being dragged into the Negative Nancy talk in parent chat groups? Margaret answers a question from a listener who is getting stressed out by her nursery school's group chat.

At least 20% of today's kids are “differently wired” with anxiety, ADHD, autism, giftedness, processing disorders, learning disabilities, and more. Guest Debbie Reber explains the parenting “tilts” that work best to support non-neurotypical kids.

How little parenting can we get away with? Is doing less better—or at least good enough? We talk backing off on what our kids wear, what they eat, and what they do all day with James Breakwell, author of the …

How old should our kids be before they have social media accounts, given all that we know about their dangers? It's a complicated decision, but here are the factors to consider.

How do we protect our kids from the toxic achievement pressure that surrounds them? Jennifer Wallace, author of the new book NEVER ENOUGH, explains how to walk this line.

Parenting advice is often deemed to be universal. When it's not, we tend to question ourselves—but what we should be questioning is why parenting was ever thought to be one-size-fits-all.

How do we get our kid to eat what's on their plate when they'd rather launch it across the room? It's time to start thinking of our kid's nourishment in larger units (like weeks).