It seems intuitive to delay getting a pet until your kids are old enough to do the walking, feeding, and brushing themselves. But research that suggests pets of all types are really beneficial to babies and toddlers. We brea…
Why are toddlers so egocentric? They really don’t get that others may have thoughts and feelings that differ from theirs. Particularly when it comes to it being bedtime. Here’s how to deal with bossy toddler behavior without…
When we practice “active listening” with our kids, it communicates: “I have time for you. You’re important to me.” So how do we fit that sort of concentrated parental attention in to our busy lives? Plus: Molly and Blaire in…
Scientists say we have between 2 and 10 million bacteria living between our elbows and our fingertips. How many on an independent preschooler who rejects soap and water outright? If your kid is currently running that experim…
Do you and your partner focus more on your kids than on each other? Have you started forgetting what it’s like to enjoy intimacy and quiet time as a couple? Do you need a refresher course on why you liked each other in the f…
A lot of people hear “gentle parent” and think doormat. But when we remember that our kids really are just kids, and get curious about the developmental reasons they’re working our last nerve, parenting them peacefully becom…
We discuss why it’s worth the effort to get our kids playing outside, even in cold or rainy weather, with guest Meghan Fitzgerald of Tinkergarten, which offers purposeful play opportunities for kids that get them away outdoo…
Finding our balance as working parents is a double challenge. It's not just about being a great parent while maintaining a job; it's about being great at that job while being a parent. Our listeners tell us some of their bes…
We're all muddling through right now, and while we are definitely Team Lowered Standards at this time, there's only so many viewings of Encanto a parent can withstand. Here are some easy, fun ways to change things up around …
When it’s your kid doing the hitting at daycare, it’s hard not to freak out. But toddler aggression doesn’t mean your kid is destined for a life of crime. Here’s why kids get aggressive and how to handle it– whether you’re t…
Self-care can sound like another chore. Seriously, who has time for a bubble bath? And is that really the best use of 20 free minutes, assuming we had them? But as Haley Jena points out in this article for What To Expect , s…
Emotions always run high this time of year, as does the pressure to “make memories” with our kids. Here’s how we’re trying to lean into the unexpected for the holidays. There is so much fun and joy in the surrender of being …
Is the sibling in-fighting at your house driving you batty? Are the screaming manifestations of our kids’ rivalry a harmless rite of passage? Or something we need to push back on? And when we do decide to step in, what actua…
Why do our kids engage in negative self-talk? Where is it coming from? Are we supposed to ignore it or push back? Here are the reasons kids can get down on themselves, how concerned we should get, plus the most productive wa…
When you’re a parent, “head worrier” is a big part of the job description. While sometimes it would be tempting to just bubble wrap our kids until college, in this episode we discuss how to face- and manage- some of the most…
Why do young children regress? How can we support them while they’re going through it? How can we support ourselves when we thought they were done with the pacifier and now it’s back with a vengeance? When do we push back, a…
We’re exhausted. Yes, getting more sleep would help. But there are other things in play, like the still-with-us pandemic. And the exhaustion can get in the way of us enjoying the parenting journey. Here’s how we’re trying to…
There are “big picture” transitions for kids, like starting school. There are smaller daily transitions, like putting screens down to get pajamas on. Both kinds can drive little kids bananas. Here’s how to make such times ea…
It can be counterproductive to the cleanliness of our homes to have our little ones “help,” but setting expectations early is worth the trouble. Here’s how to right-size the task for each age, plus how to deal with all the w…
Our kids are tiny dictators who rule our lives with extreme arbitrariness. Whether it's demanding that "only Daddy" strap them into their car seats, or dictates about how toilet paper should be ripped, Toddler Purgatory has …
Whether or not you consider yourself a "morning person” getting your household on the move and out the door in the mornings can be really rough. We discuss some strategies for making mornings just a little less, you know, mo…
Becca Campbell is the founder and creator of Little Z Sleep Consulting. In this episode she solves our listeners’ sleep dilemmas, from the newborn who is up all night to the kindergartener who is still napping at daycare. We…
Mom guilt. Mom rage. Shame. We feel them, then we feel bad. Which doesn't help us feel any better. Here’s how to acknowledge, anticipate, sit with, process, and redirect these feelings, without beating ourselves up for havin…
