On this episode: Lucy sits down with actress and author Mandy Gonzalez for a wide-ranging conversation about parenting, building a creative mom group, and enduring cancer treatment with your head held high. Mandy also answers questions from our own budding Broadway stars. Then: Lucy, Zak, and Elizabeth debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including an update on the Rosen family’s move overseas. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new ques...
Aug 22, 2024•54 min
We’re excited to share an episode with you that we think you’ll love that comes from Didn’t I Just Feed You - a weekly podcast hosted by two long time food editors, Stacie Billis and Meghan Splawn. If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe to Didn’t I Just Feed You wherever you get your podcasts. It's a practical companion to our show, giving you easy meal ideas every other week in their What We’re Cooking and Eating Now series while covering everything from picky eating to how to grocer...
Aug 21, 2024•37 min
On this episode: Jamilah, Elizabeth, and Dillon Michael White help a listener whose kid is struggling hard to enjoy the summer break… and complaining about everything in the process. How can this parent nip the negativity in the bud and prevent a bad attitude from ruining everyone’s break? We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now. And then, if you’re joining us for the Plus Playground — out now in your podcast feed — we’re talking about how to handle sharing kid stuff f...
Aug 19, 2024•50 min
On this episode: Jamilah, Elizabeth and special guest host Dillon White of DadChats and ChatsFam help a listener whose kid really, really struggles with losing. The smallest not-wins send this boy into hysterics… even though he knows all that sportsmanship stuff. So what might help — and what might this parent be missing? We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including an update on Naima’s first day of middle school. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedin...
Aug 15, 2024•51 min
On this episode: Jamilah, Zak, and Elizabeth answer a listener question about a kid who seems dedicated to making family hikes suck. He’s energetic and capable during other activities, but long walks are full of whining and fussing. What could this listener do to get him excited about family walks… and are there any options that aren’t making every walk a treasure hunt? We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now. And then, on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re sharing a rou...
Aug 12, 2024•38 min
On this episode: Jamilah, Elizabeth and Zak help a listener who’s wondering why her friend is bodyshaming her own toddler so intensely — not to mention our listener’s kid, too — and what to do about it. These kids are still little enough to avoid lifelong damage to their relationships with food, and their bodies… but where’s the line when it comes to telling this friend to shut it and let the kids eat cake? We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — and we'll share an up...
Aug 08, 2024•45 min
On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Elizabeth answer a tricky question from a listener who’s struggling to feel love for her daughter. Mismatched neurodivergence might be to blame… but what is a parent to do when they don’t feel connected with their kids? How can they work on translating irritation into love — and grappling with the guilt of not feeling like a good parent? We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now... And then, on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re venting (rea...
Aug 05, 2024•44 min
On this episode: Lucy, Elizabeth and Zak help a listener who’s grappling with whether it’s worth trying to keep up a friendship with a family that is just not reliable. It’s only started recently, but they show up to events and hangouts hours late… if at all… with very scant communication. The flakiness disappoints our listener’s kid, but is this worth cutting out friends? We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including a quick update about the Newcamp family’s trip...
Aug 01, 2024•38 min
On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Chris Duffy answer a question from the Slate Parenting Facebook group about what to do when dinner rolls around. This member of the group would be perfectly happy with toast or popcorn, but also wants to make sure their toddler grows up with a healthy relationship to food. We’ll share some low-effort, high-tastiness ideas for the weeknight dinner rush. We’ll also try out a new segment called Just Checking In — where we’ll share what’s on our mind this week. Then, ...
Jul 29, 2024•36 min
On this episode: Lucy and Zak are joined by special guest host Chris Duffy to talk about the power of a painting. Our listener has a piece of art hanging on her wall that features some nudity — and it recently startled a crew of kids over for a playdate. Should the painting be moved, or taken down? Or is our listener just becoming the fabled Cool Art House? We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails, and share an update about the parent who sparked the great shorts under s...
Jul 25, 2024•44 min
On this episode: Lucy, Jamilah, and Dan Kois help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook community who’s wondering how to help her teenage son through the rite of passage that is shaving. We’ll also help out a listener whose six-year-old is an overzealous shaver, and talk through whether it’s a real problem. We also dole out a round of recommendations. Then, for Slate Plus listeners – we’re relaunching our Plus offerings and welcoming you to the Plus Playground. This week, we’re offering an ad...
Jul 22, 2024•38 min
On this episode: Lucy, Jamilah, and special guest host Dan Kois help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group who’s unable to sleep unless everyone in the household is tucked in and all the doors are locked. That’s making it challenging to live with a 16-year-old night owl… so is the answer to just suffer through the evenings where not everyone is back in the nest? We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails – and chat about what Dan’s been up to since we last heard f...
Jul 18, 2024•34 min
On this episode: Zak, Lucy and Jamilah help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook Group who’s torn about her kid’s new bestie. This girl is mostly unsupervised and tends toward naughtiness — ding-dong ditching, messy play, and watching adult YouTube — and that tendency is trickling down to our group member’s son. How can this parent make sure her home is a safe space, but still keep order? We also dole out a round of recommendations. Then, for Slate Plus listeners – we’re weighing when it’s o...
Jul 15, 2024•23 min
On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Jamilah help a listener who wrote in wondering how to soften her landing after taking a break from the kids. She’s grateful for them, and for time away… but why doesn’t she feel refreshed? We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails, and share some of your responses to our recent episode about shorts under skirts and dresses. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of t...
Jul 11, 2024•41 min
We’re taking it easy after the holiday last week but didn’t want to leave you empty-eared… so we’re very excited to share an extended cut of Jamila’s recent interview with Ruby Russell, author of Doing It All: The Social Power of Single Motherhood. We’ll be back with a regular episode Thursday — see you then! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 08, 2024•43 min
Hi listeners! We're off from the holiday but wanted to share an episode of another Slate show that we think you'll love: Leo is a high-achieving high school senior on the cusp of graduation. Growing up in a rigorous school environment he faced endless pressure to follow the expected track of attending an elite university and eventually securing a good job. Yet, Leo feels slightly unfulfilled and is curious what an alternative path might look like. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace is j...
Jul 04, 2024•45 min
On this episode: Zak, Lucy and Elizabeth help a listener whose daycare has requested that her toddler daughter wear shorts underneath skirts and dresses. The listener’s knee-jerk reaction is that it’s unnecessary… but we’ll offer some suggestions about what she could be missing, and why how we dress our kids is important. We also dole out a round of recommendations, and share some stuff you listeners have been loving — and, for our Slate Plus listeners, we’ll talk about the way we choose baby na...
Jul 01, 2024•42 min
On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Elizabeth help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group whose daughter forgot how to ride a bike… and is now pretty insistent that she doesn’t want to re-learn. We’ll talk through how to incentivize some bravery and get siblings involved in the process. We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including a triumph that wasn’t a triumph until we talked through it. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask...
Jun 27, 2024•39 min
On this episode: Zak, Lucy and Elizabeth talk about the bold thesis statement of this piece from Romper Magazine… arguing that actually, traveling with a big group is the best way to relax on vacation. We’ll talk strategy for booking reservations, handing off kid duties, and casting the perfect vacation collective. We also dole out a round of recommendations for beating the heat — and, for our Slate Plus listeners, we’re taking a trip down memory lane and sharing some travel-themed triumphs and ...
Jun 24, 2024•34 min
On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Elizabeth help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group come up with ways to prevent a summer backslide – and keep school skills fresh over the break. We got some great tips from our audience of parents and educators, too. We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including a tale of middle-school heroism involving a very large cockroach. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell u...
Jun 20, 2024•43 min
On this episode: Zak, Lucy, and Elizabeth help a member of our Slate Parenting Facebook group who’s struggling to keep her head above water. There’s always another deadline, appointment, and thing to do… and when it all piles up, it’s hard to feel like you can dig yourself out. We’ll have some concrete advice for how to move in the right direction — and more importantly, how to feel better. We also dole out a round of recommendations — and, for our Slate Plus listeners, we’re talking about keepi...
Jun 17, 2024•38 min
On this episode: Lucy sits down with researcher and friend of the show Tova Walsh to talk about her work on dads who experience postpartum depression. Paternal mental health is a topic we don’t talk about nearly enough, so we wanted to give you some advice — and some resources to learn more and get help. Tova wants to share the following: A conversation she hosted about understanding fathers’ mental health Help for dads via Postpartum Support International A training on paternal perinatal mental...
Jun 13, 2024•40 min
On this episode: Zak, Jamilah, and Elizabeth answer a listener question about whether it’s really necessary to lug around strollers and car seats during an international trip. The answer is complicated, but among other tips, we do recommend the following: The City Mini stroller The gb Pockit+ stroller line The Doona car seat/stroller system The Mifold compact booster seat The CARES harness for plane seats We also dole out a round of regular recommendations and share some stuff that listeners hav...
Jun 10, 2024•29 min
On this episode: Jamilah, Zak and Elizabeth help a listener who, for a few reasons, is at the end of her rope with a friend of her daughter’s. The friend is sweet… she’s just LOUD, to the point that the listener doesn’t want to drive the girls around anymore. Where does she go from here? We’ll also debrief on our week in parenting with a round of Triumphs & Fails — including a dip in the creek. Listeners, we want your advice – and your questions – about how to prevent the dreaded summer back...
Jun 06, 2024•31 min
On this episode: Zak sits down with Jessica Calarco, whose new book – Holding It Together – is out tomorrow. The two walk through the ways in which women, and especially mothers, replace a social safety net in the United States… and, more importantly, why it doesn’t have to be this way. We also dole out a round of recommendations – and for our Slate Plus listeners, we continue Zak and Jessica’s conversation and ask Jamilah and Elizabeth what they think their unpaid labor is holding together. Eli...
Jun 03, 2024•35 min
On this episode: Jamilah, Zak and Elizabeth answer a listener email about how to keep someone’s memory alive. This listener is pregnant for the first time and thrilled, but also can’t stop thinking about her late brother… and all the uncle stuff he won’t get to do. We’ll offer some tips for navigating grief and helping little ones remember family members they’ll never know. We’ll also debrief on our week in parenting with a round of Triumphs & Fails — including a brush with ugly racism that ...
May 30, 2024•32 min
We're off for Memorial Day, but we didn't want to leave you empty-handed. So: we're thrilled to share this episode of Well, Now — Slate's new show all about health and wellness. If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to Well, Now wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 27, 2024•41 min
On this episode: Lucy, Zak and Elizabeth answer a listener email about whether an 8 and 5 year old should still be sharing a room. The basement is a communal space, and it’s also home to some creepy crawlies… but is it worth making that work in the name of some separation? We’ll also debrief on our week in parenting with a round of Triumphs & Fails — including a postcard from a spat with a sleepy toddler. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions...
May 23, 2024•43 min
On this episode: Zak, Lucy and Elizabeth answer a question from our Slate Parenting Facebook group about a 7-year-old who’s at home being naked at home. It’s not really a problem right now, but with puberty around the corner… will it be? We also dole out a round of recommendations — and then, for Slate Plus, we offer suggestions for mess-free (or mess-minimal) car snacks. Zak recommends: The Daily Dad Newsletter by Ryan Holiday Lucy recommends: Planet of the Apes Elizabeth recommends: Murdle Puz...
May 20, 2024•27 min
On this episode: Jamilah sits down with author Ruby Russell to talk about her new book, Doing It All: The Social Power of Single Motherhood. They talk about the ways that single mothers upend the patriarchy — and why that’s a good thing. Lucy, Elizabeth, and Zak also circle up for a round of triumphs and fails — including an epic saga involving a hospital in the Philippines. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today...
May 16, 2024•42 min