Parenting kids with ADHD can feel like walking a line between wanting to help and needing them to be independent. This week, we’re joined by our friend Dr. Emily King , a child psychologist who has spent over 20 years supporting families, schools, and kids with ADHD, autism, anxiety, and learning differences. Dr. Emily joins us to talk about how to support kids with ADHD and answer your questions. From teachers wondering how to support executive functioning in the classroom, to parents of teens ...
Sep 23, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 9Ep. 23
At first, I thought I was doing great with college drop-off (I even bragged to my girlfriends about making it two whole days without tears!) But the adrenaline has started to wear off. Suddenly, weekends feel hollow without our family’s Sunday routine. Turns out it’s not just the drop-off that’s tough, it’s the days after when the quiet gets louder. That’s why Penn and I are so grateful to sit down with New York Times bestselling author, podcaster, and speaker Gretchen Rubin , one of my favorite...
Sep 16, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 9Ep. 22
Being a parent in youth sports is… a lot. One day you’re cheering on your kid for picking clovers in the outfield, the next you’re asking yourself: “Is my kid… special?” and googling special clinics in the area. We’ve been through the highs and lows, and that’s why we were so excited to sit down with former NFL All-Pro and award-winning broadcaster Greg Olsen in today’s show. Greg is on a mission to make youth sports healthier and more balanced through his platform Youth Inc . He knows both side...
Sep 09, 2025•59 min•Season 9Ep. 21
Oh friends, we did it. We officially dropped our daughter off at college, and let me tell you—it was a rollercoaster of emotions I wasn’t totally prepared for. From the frantic week of packing command strips and last-minute Target runs, to the heartbreaking last night at home when both kids ended up crying in our bed, this season of life has been full of tears, laughter, and a whole lot of love. In this episode, Penn and I share what those first few days after drop-off really felt like (Spoiler:...
Sep 02, 2025•51 min•Season 9Ep. 20
If you’ve ever screamed “I TOOK MY MEDICINE!” just to remember you actually took it—then you’re in good company with today's episode. Today on Laugh Lines , Penn and I share some of the most unhinged (and surprisingly brilliant) ADHD hacks from our listeners, the internet, and our own chaotic household. We also sit down with Dr. Amelia Kelley, author of Powered by ADHD , who helps us untangle why ADHD so often hides in plain sight—especially in women. I’ll be honest: parts of this conversation g...
Aug 26, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Season 9Ep. 19
We are so excited because this week we sit down with the fabulous Stacy London (yes, that Stacy London!) for some fashion therapy. Stacy London became a household name from the show What Not to Wear , but now she has now given us permission to toss the “rules” and wear whatever the heck we want. We talked about everything from Gen X “uniforms” (hello quarter-zips and yoga pants) to how our bodies shift in midlife and leave us without a style identity. Stacy reminds us that middle age isn’t an ex...
Aug 19, 2025•59 min•Season 9Ep. 18
If you’ve ever wondered how we can start with weighted vests and end up talking about Viagra… welcome to this week’s Laugh Lines. Penn and I are joined by our friend, the amazing Dr. Mary Claire Haver, who gives us the lowdown on bone density, creatine, menopause nutrition, and why getting enough protein sometimes feels like a full-time job. (Seriously, I made cottage cheese dressing recently. Who am I?) We dive into the surprising benefits—and possible dangers—of strapping extra weight to your ...
Aug 12, 2025•58 min•Season 9Ep. 17
Hi, my name is Kim and I don’t like to be told what to do. (But I do love your calls!) This week on Laugh Lines, Penn and I take your voicemails and unpack everything from Gen Z stares to accidentally breeding super-intelligent squirrels to how “smash” means something very different now. (Sorry, Heather.) Penn also shares what it was like to meet one of his comedy heroes, Weird Al Yankovic, and why “I may get canceled for this…” is never a great sentence starter. Spoiler alert: Penn does it anyw...
Aug 05, 2025•42 min•Season 9Ep. 16
We started this episode with tears, and somehow ended up in outer space. (Welcome to Laugh Lines!) This week, I had a completely unplanned “Menty B” (short for mental breakdown) about our daughter leaving for college. There are feelings. So many feelings. And mascara malfunctions. Then (try not to get whiplash) we take an emotional U-turn to bring on former astronaut and NYT bestselling author, Mike Massimino, to talk about setting big, bold, seemingly impossible goals. Penn really dislikes goal...
Jul 29, 2025•40 min•Season 9Ep. 15
This week on Laugh Lines , we let a very special guest take the mic. Our 15-year-old son, PC Holderness! (And y’all… he did not disappoint.) PC came ready to host games and answer questions from parents on the Laugh Line, all with his signature optimism and cowboy hat… obviously. From prank calls and dial-up internet to egg babies and snap streaks, we put our generations head-to-head to find out who had it harder, “Gen X or Gen Z?” We also take your hilarious voicemails and ask PC what Gen Z con...
Jul 22, 2025•32 min•Season 9Ep. 14
I love aging and also… I get botox. I love my laugh lines (obviously, we named our podcast after them) but I also want to age gracefully. I want to feel like the best version of myself as I get older and sometimes… that means I get a little help from someone with a laser and a medical degree. In this episode of Laugh Lines , we’re pulling back the curtain on cosmetic procedures with my very own dermatologist (and not a paid spokesperson!), the amazing Dr. Sue Ellen Cox . Too many people whisper ...
Jul 15, 2025•39 min•Season 9Ep. 13
Need a good laugh? We got you. This week, we’re talking about the delightfully weird and wonderful things that are making us laugh right now—including squirrels, fart walks, and not caring anymore. (Shout out to Melani Sanders, the internet legend behind the We Do Not Care Club.) We chat with the hilarious Mairlyn Smith, who’s gone viral for pioneering the “fart walk” - a post-dinner stroll that’s good for your gut, your marriage, and yes, your feminism. We also bring on bird expert Dr. Lauryn B...
Jul 08, 2025•40 min•Season 9Ep. 12
We got an email recently looking for advice on how to navigate being married to someone with ADHD when you’re experiencing perimenopause. (It was actually hilariously titled “Perimenopause and ADHD Walk Into A Bar…” so stay tuned for a future video on that.) This week on Laugh Lines , we’re diving into the chaotic Venn diagram that is living with ADHD and perimenopause — including a full game show with our producer, Sam Allen. Spoiler alert: it’s full of brain fog, misplaced purses, hormone-fuel...
Jul 01, 2025•39 min•Season 9Ep. 11
If your kid is about to launch into the real world and you are holding it together with to-do lists and spreadsheets, this episode is for you. This week on Laugh Lines , Penn and I are joined by the always brilliant, always soothing, New York Times Bestselling author, Dr. Lisa Damour . She breaks down what it means to be ready to leave the nest, including must-have life skills, how parents can shift from a do-er to cheer-er (that’s a word, right?) and how to have hard talks about sex and drug us...
Jun 24, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 9Ep. 10
You know those random, slightly unhinged opinions you have that make zero sense to other people, but you will defend them no matter what? This week on Laugh Lines , Penn and I planting our flags on the silliest and most passionately defended opinions — also known as “the hill you’ll die on.” Mine? People who back into parking spaces in busy lots are selfish. (Yes, I said what I said.) We also hit the Laugh Line to hear all your hot takes — from the Oxford comma to pineapple on pizza to why pickl...
Jun 17, 2025•43 min•Season 9Ep. 9
There’s this phrase Penn and I say a lot when we’re overwhelmed making goofy internet videos—“It’s okay, we’re not saving lives.” But this week, we talk to a man who actually is saving lives and he needs us to help spread the word. Dr. David Fajgenbaum is the founder of Every Cure , a nonprofit that’s on a mission to do something that sounds impossible—use already-approved drugs to treat diseases they weren’t originally made for. Diagnosed with Castleman disease, Dr. David refused to accept that...
Jun 10, 2025•44 min•Season 9Ep. 8
Penn and I have a daughter who is graduating high school and going to college in the fall. And I am doing totally fine, except the… chest pains… eye twitches… hair loss… (this is totally normal, right?) I process my emotions through preparation. I plot everything on the calendar and make all the Google Docs. Penn needs to process his emotions through, well… actually feeling them. He knows there’s a shift in our family dynamic coming and it’s making him sentimental. In this episode of Laugh Lines...
Jun 03, 2025•41 min•Season 9Ep. 7
This week on Laugh Lines, Penn and I take a trip down memory lane with the most unhinged things Gen X did in the 90s. (Seriously… how are we even alive?) If you’ve ever gotten a late fee at Blockbuster or ridden in the back of a pickup truck without a seatbelt, this episode is for you. Welcome home. We heard from so many listeners who shared amazing stories: homecoming games with a live tiger from the zoo, going on cross-state road trips as teenagers, and even piling 20 college kids into the bac...
May 27, 2025•36 min•Season 9Ep. 6
If you’ve been here a while, you know your friend Kim walks with anxiety on a daily basis. I often have thought “if I could sleep through the night, eat enough protein, and manage my anxiety and emotions, I’d be unstoppable.” And that’s because anxiety has often stopped me — from resting, from focusing, from showing up the way I want to. My brand of anxiety can be debilitating at times. So how can you begin to manage anxiety and emotions? This week we invited our new friend Ethan Kross on the po...
May 20, 2025•43 min•Season 9Ep. 5
I have always endorsed my experience with pelvic floor therapy after having kids. It was life-changing, and insurance covered it. (Score.) But what if I told you that pelvic floor therapy wasn’t just for women who have had babies? What if I told you pelvic floor therapy could be for men too? This week on the podcast, we talked to Dr. Danielle Owens , a physical therapist and CAPP-Pelvic certified specialist. While pelvic health is typically associated with women, Dr. Owens stresses that men also...
May 13, 2025•35 min•Season 9Ep. 4
This week, Kim and I have a vulnerable discussion about my risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Three of my four grandparents, my late father, and my mother have all struggled with Alzheimer’s and dementia. As I have grown older, the fear of developing it has always been in the back of my mind. But I have something all of my family didn’t - new information on how to TRY to prevent it. We are honored to have Dr. Richard Isaacson join us and share his research as one of the leading voices in Alzheimer’s d...
May 06, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 9Ep. 3
As we age, items have shifted during flight. We're gaining weight in weird places, and Penn is convinced he has bread back. (More on that in the podcast.) But what if everything you thought you knew about metabolism was actually wrong? We sat down with Dr. Herman Pontzer , Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology and Global Health at Duke University, to ask the age-old question: Can you actually boost your metabolism? The answer may surprise you! You can follow Dr. Herman Pontzer on Instagram at @...
Apr 29, 2025•41 min•Season 9Ep. 2
Welcome to Laugh Lines! We are so excited to launch this new chapter of our podcast and have you along for the ride. This week, Penn and I break down our best advice for staying married for 20 years (we’re too young to be celebrating such a milestone, right?) We also take our first calls from the Laugh Line to hear your input, including some very interesting advice from Kim’s Mom. To end the show, we discuss if we are too old for theme parks and what the Gen Z phrase “throwing” means… bonus poin...
Apr 22, 2025•47 min•Season 9Ep. 1
For the last 7 years, The Holderness Family Podcast has been our most favorite thing we do. We love getting to talk to experts, having meaningful conversations between the two of us, and being a place where you can laugh. A lot has changed since we started the show, and we feel lucky that our audience is growing older with us. So in the spirit of that, we are re-launching our podcast. We are so excited to introduce you to Laugh Lines with Kim & Penn Holderness . The Laugh Lines podcast will ...
Apr 18, 2025•1 min
A year ago, our friend Charlie Berens asked Penn if he would open for him on his national stand-up tour. It was for a show in Durham, and Penn couldn't at the time. (I could tell he was almost relieved!) But when Charlie came back to NC this year and asked again, Penn said yes. To be clear, Penn has never tried stand-up comedy. And to my surprise, he was very nervous! This week we go along on Penn's journey into trying stand-up comedy, including how his performance went. We also bring on our fri...
Apr 15, 2025•46 min•Season 8Ep. 14
I am so glad we're getting to a place where we don’t need to whisper the word "menopause" anymore. As you know, Penn and I have talked openly about my perimenopause journey. This week we have journalist and author (and our friend) Tamsen Fadal on the podcast to talk about her instant New York Times Bestselling book, How To Menopause . Tamsen talks about her story as well as advice from experts on how to reclaim your life during the menopausal years. Menopause is not the end. It’s the beginning o...
Apr 08, 2025•36 min•Season 8Ep. 13
I’m at the point in my life when there is probably more behind me than in front of me. While my default setting seems to put me in a place of depression or anxiety - I’m bizarrely excited about whatever life I have ahead of me. So on this last year before I stand on the doorstep of my 50th birthday - I have a plan. I want to show up to 50 stronger, kinder, and with more joy. Listen on to hear about my 5 big goals. Recommendations from the episode: Oura Ring The 10 books I've already read this ye...
Apr 01, 2025•42 min•Season 8Ep. 12
I've always been fascinated by how birth order shapes family dynamics, especially as we navigate this season of parenting. Penn and I are very aware that we don’t have many more years “on the record” with our kids. Have we done enough to help them become their best selves? This week, we’re chatting with Susan Dominus, an award-winning writer for The New York Times and a journalism professor at Yale. Her new book, The Family Dynamic , is all about what makes exceptional families tick—and since sh...
Mar 25, 2025•47 min•Season 8Ep. 11
For some, getting older can be hard, but we believe it needs a rebrand. We're not anti-aging... we're pro-aging! This week, our producer Ann Marie Taepke joins the podcast to lead us in a March Madness-style bracket to determine the best thing about getting older. We start with a sweet 16 and whittle it down to one champion with lots of laughs along the way. Stick around to hear the Top 5 things Gen X will have in their retirement home and the best parking job Penn has ever made. (There will be ...
Mar 18, 2025•50 min•Season 8Ep. 10
Colon cancer runs in my family. Between that and having ulcerative colitis (that is now in remission) I get a colonoscopy every couple years. By 2030, colon cancer is predicted to be the top cancer death for people younger than 50. That's why it's important to get your cancer screenings when they are recommended. And this year, it is Penn's turn to get his check-up. (That's right, we're talking all about butt stuff.) We take you along for the prep, process, and results, as well as chat with Stag...
Mar 11, 2025•45 min•Season 8Ep. 9
