Biz and Theresa explore how we feel when our kids get hurt. From the guilt we feel to the temptation to judge others, there is nothing like a boo boo to make you feel bad bad. Plus Biz is getting Katy Belle’s message loud and clear, Theresa is maxed out, and we kick off a month of Halloween fun with Michael Leviton, co-author of My First Ghost . You can find more from Michael Leviton on Twitter @Michael_Leviton or on his website at Michaelleviton.com . His book My First Ghost is out now. Check o...
Oct 04, 2018•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 275
Just like parenting is different for everyone, this show is going to be different! Biz and Theresa dis the usual format to talk fostering for the entire episode. First we talk with Kevin and Kelly, a couple who are just beginning the fostering process, then we speak with Abby, who has already fostered. Finally we have Adrianne Jubilee from the Center for Adoption Support and Education. Find out more about C.A.S.E. at Adoptionsupport.org and about Wendy's Wonderful Kids at Davethomasfoundation.or...
Sep 27, 2018•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 274
Biz and Theresa wonder if we make better decisions for ourselves now that we are parents. Do our choices get more thoughtful? Or are we more likely to make rushed in-the-moment decisions? Biz’s haircut says “in the moment” and suggests that might not be a good decision making process for her. Plus Biz is crossing her words, Theresa compliments a fellow OBM, and we talk to Dr. Krista Lauer about LICE! Yep, lice. You can find out more at Liceclinicsofamerica.com or on Twitter @LiceNoMore . Check o...
Sep 20, 2018•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 273
Biz and Theresa ponder the often tossed around phrase “You’ll miss these years when they are gone!” We wonder, how helpful is that really? Signs point to “less helpful” as we discuss how dismissive it is of our present difficulties. Is anyone suggesting that by forcing ourselves to find every moment magical or by never acknowledging how hard parenting is, that we will somehow get to skip the heartbreak when our kids get older and don’t need us as much? No! That's not a real thing. So why suggest...
Sep 13, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 272
Biz and Theresa stand aside to bask in the glory of your genius moments and failures…and rants. The spectaculars stand as a reminder to how important it is to know that we are all doing great and we are all doing terrible! Check out our book! You're Doing A Great Job!: 100 Ways You're Winning at Parenting! Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of MaximumFun.org . Our sponsors this week are Bombas and Care.com . Go to Bombas.com/badmother and use code BADMOTHER to...
Sep 06, 2018•59 min•Ep. 271
Biz and Theresa discuss the power of the phrase “calm down.” Yes, we want our kids to calm down, but why does it trigger gross feelings from our own childhoods? Is it just the easiest thing to say when kids are too loud or too hyped or too upset? Yes. It is. Plus Biz gets a compliment, Theresa does do nights, and we talk to Debra Hauser with Advocates For Youth about the future of sex education and the new site Amaze.org . You can find Debra on Twitter @dlhaus or on the Advocates for Youth websi...
Aug 30, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 270
Biz and Theresa realize maybe we have never left “the forest” and that the forest has been tricking us this whole time into believing it's a nice place! We look at the sometimes insane and always exhausting techniques that we implement in order to get our kids to do things. As we jump though hoops everyday to get our kids to function, we can't help but wonder, "Is this just my life now?" and “Is it ever going to get better?” Well shit, maybe it won’t. Also on this happy show, Biz has a worst fir...
Aug 23, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 269
Biz and Theresa take a look at the highs and lows of lemonade stands and other childhood financial endeavors. The first clue that a child might not understand monetary value is when they want to charge $100 for a rock. On the one hand, we want to encourage creativity and foster an understanding of money and business in our kids. On the other hand, we will probably spend the whole day manning the lemonade stand, or wind up with a drawer full of "art" that we purchased from our own child. Plus Biz...
Aug 16, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 268
Biz and Theresa unpack their emotional baggage around actual packing. When did going on a three day trip turn into packing for an expedition to the Amazon? The amount of stuff we absolutely need to bring with us weighs heavy on the soul, not to mention the airplane baggage limit. Plus Biz returns from the Midwest, Theresa fills her mind, and we talk to Jessica Love about her new picture book, Julián is a Mermaid . You can find Jessica Love on Twitter @Jessica67755257 or on her website Jesslove.f...
Aug 09, 2018•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 267
Biz and Theresa wonder what is up with pirates? Real pirates are known for theft and murder, but every other kid has a pirate costume. (And, let's face it, they're adorable.) From swordplay to walking the plank...I guess we're all culturally cool with our kids admiring and identifying with this one particular violent and morally-corrupt lifestyle. LOL! But yeah honestly we're fine with it, guys. Getting a group of kids to yell "ARRRRRRGH!" never gets old. Plus, Biz kisses camp goodbye, Theresa m...
Aug 02, 2018•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 266
Biz and Theresa explore the complicated nature of receiving gifts from our children, from edible treats to physical affection to artistic renderings. How do we celebrate these occasionally misguided and even off-putting but nonetheless heartfelt gifts without sacrificing...oh, I don't know, our human dignity? HA! Are we really required to eat the thing that the 4 year old is calling "pancakes?" Plus, Biz feels like a fair ride, Theresa is ready for stuff to start getting easier, and we talk with...
Jul 26, 2018•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 265
Biz and Theresa talk about how it feels when our kids express their feelings or needs in an unkind manner. “I hate forks!” “AHHHH! I put the shirt on before underpants!” “My day is ruined! You are ruining my day!” Helping our kids navigate their emotions and teaching them to speak their needs kindly is important, but also tiring. When you add to it the emotional pummeling of being yelled at by a four-year-old, Biz and Theresa wonder how we can ever get space to regulate our own feelings. Plus, B...
Jul 19, 2018•57 min•Ep. 264
Biz’s four-year-old still eats only a handful of things and Theresa’s four-year-old still has sleep problems. We've treated these issues as though they'll inevitably resolve on their own over time, but two years later we're beginning to wonder if maybe our kids won’t, in fact, “grow out of it.” (Insert horror music!) Plus, Biz is back from Bama, Theresa remembers that toddlers are hard, and we talk to author Jill Castle about feeding our kids and her new book Fearless Feeding . You can find more...
Jul 12, 2018•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 263
Biz and Theresa are live from Chicago! This is the second of two episodes recorded in May at GMan Tavern. Chicago Tribune lifestyle writer Heidi Stevens joins us to talk about interrupting and help us try to figure out how to teach our kids not to interrupt. Since that probably won’t happen, we may as well just go ahead and never try to have a normal adult conversation again. Problem solved! Plus, live genius and fails! You can find Heidi on twitter @HeidiStevens13 or read her column for the Chi...
Jun 28, 2018•1 hr•Ep. 262
Biz and Theresa explore the results of the most dangerous fruit. Are some words better to use when describing flatulence? How can we help our kids navigate what is acceptable and what isn’t when it comes to passing gas, especially when the biggest challenge is how hilarious it is? Plus Biz is crazy in Alabama, Theresa wrote a book, and we talk to Doree Shafrir and Kate Spencer from the Forever 35 podcast. Listen to Forever 35 at Forever35podcast.com . You can find Doree on twitter @Doree or visi...
Jun 21, 2018•59 min•Ep. 261
This week on One Bad Mother, Biz and Theresa dive into the good and bad memories of swimming as kids and look at how those experiences play into what we want for our kids. Should we throw them in, or respect their complete fear of wet hair? What if they aren't the water babies we'd hoped they'd be? What if they never know the joy of Marco Polo or Martha Washington hairstyles? Plus Biz is hosting podcast summer camp, Theresa is excited for the summer, and Katy Belle drops by to give opinions. Che...
Jun 14, 2018•56 min•Ep. 260
Biz and Theresa explore our desire to prove to others that we’re doing enough as parents. Regardless of what we’re going through with our kids, when someone tries to be helpful by saying, “Have you tried...xyz?” it can leave us feeling like all our efforts are invisible. So...that’s a thing! Plus, Biz wonders “Who those people are?,” Theresa has been shocked, and we speak with author Rumaan Alam about his new novel That Kind Of Mother . You can find more from Rumaan on his website rumaanalam.com...
Jun 07, 2018•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 259
It's the 9th Ever Genius Fail Spectacular, Plus Rants! Biz and Theresa sit back and bask in the glory of your genius moments and failures and remember that none of us are alone! Check out our book! You're Doing A Great Job!: 100 Ways You're Winning at Parenting! Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of MaximumFun.org . Our sponsors this week are Prep Dish and Squarespace . To receive a free two week trial visit prepdish.com/OBM . And to get a free trial visit squ...
May 31, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 258
Biz and Theresa wonder what "nagging" really is. Do we just want to keep our kids happy and comfortable or is “nagging” just another word used to belittle women? We know that developmentally kids need help remembering what they need, from keeping hands clean to dressing for the weather to staying safe. But at what point do we need to let go and hope they learn on their own from experiencing discomfort? Hint: NEVER! Plus Biz has a Bad Reputation , Theresa accepts some stuff, and we talk to Kate R...
May 24, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 257
Biz and Theresa are live from the GMan Tavern in Chicago with special guest comic creator Lucy Knisley, and we want to know what makes a bad influence. Rock 'n' Roll? Video Games? That one kid with the sailor mouth? Captain Underpants? Do we ban it all to make life easier or is this really about us wanting to get rid of something we find annoying rather than dangerous. Whichever it is, we should definitely overthink it. Plus, live genius and fails! You can find out more about Lucy and her work o...
May 17, 2018•59 min•Ep. 256
Biz and Theresa explore why we yell and how effective it is. It may not do much for the kids but it "effectively" makes us feel bad. Plus, Biz reflects upon her mortality as she sends another fish to great beyond and Theresa was cute for five seconds! Chicago! We added another LIVE show at GMan Tavern on FRIDAY, May 11th at 8:00 p.m.! We still have a couple of tickets left! Check out our book! You're Doing A Great Job!: 100 Ways You're Winning at Parenting! Thank you to all our listeners who sup...
May 10, 2018•58 min•Ep. 255
Biz and Theresa wonder why our attempts at self-care feel more like self-sabotage sometimes. Is it that it can mess up our momentum, or are we just really bad at it? Maybe both! Plus, Biz wonders, "WHAT IF?,” Theresa does feed her children, and we welcome back Renegade Mothering’s Janelle Hanchett to talk about her new book I’m Just Happy To Be Here: A Memoir Of Recklessness, Rehab and Renegade Mothering ! Janelle's book I’m Just Happy To Be Here: A Memoir Of Recklessness, Rehab and Renegade Mot...
May 03, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 254
Renée Colvert from the hit MaxFun podcast Can I Pet Your Dog? joins Biz to discuss the question, "Will having dogs prepare me for being a parent?" Is this question insulting, laughable, or does it actually hold some elements of truth? Maybe a little of all three! Plus, Biz discovers a new level of hell and Tugboat is in the house! Catch a new episode of Can I Pet Your Dog twice a month! You can follow CIPYD on twitter @CIPYDpodcast and Renée @reneecolvert . Renée's dog Tugboat has his very own I...
Apr 26, 2018•58 min•Ep. 253
Thanks to everyone who supported us in this years Max Fun Drive! Biz and Theresa fill our own boredom by talking about what to do when our kids are bored. Should we bust that boredom with 10 exciting ways to fill up summer break or just threaten to take their toys away if they are so bored? Both probably will have some sort of effect. The real question is how does it make us feel when we hear those 2 words, “I’m Bored,” from our kids? Plus Biz and Theresa never get bored of saying thank you to o...
Apr 19, 2018•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 252
This is the last week of the Max Fun Drive and we would love it if you could show us your support! In order to make a contribution go to maximumfun.org/donate and use the #MaxFunDrive on social medial to show us some love! Who cares if the kids are bored? We want to be bored, too! We explore the idea that being bored may be a missing step to achieving self-care, as well as other mind-blowing concepts like, “Boring acts aren't the same as being bored,” and, “Being bored while doing something for ...
Apr 11, 2018•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 251
Max Fun Drive is upon us and we would love it if you could show us your support! In order to make a contribution go to maximumfun.org/donate and use the #MaxFunDrive on social medial to show us some love! Biz and Theresa explore the art of tattling. How do we teach our kids when to “tell,” when to work it out themselves, and when to shrug it off? Plus, Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen doesn’t solve our kid’s eating problems but does cook up a lot of genius! It’s Week 1 of the #MaxFunDrive so tune...
Apr 04, 2018•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 250
Biz and Theresa explore the art of bragging and decide this is a tough one. How can we teach our kids to have pride in their accomplishments while being mindful of the feelings of others? Instead of slapping the label “bragging” on it and walking away, what if we start with the lesson of being gracious towards others? Crap! That sounds like work! Plus, Biz brags about her garden, Theresa brags about her sick baby, and we get some information and resources about childhood stuttering from philanth...
Mar 29, 2018•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 249
Biz and Theresa talk about how hard it is to watch our children deal with big disappointments, like missing their first sleepover because they’re sick! Not only do we want to comfort them, it also brings up our own crushing memories… “Mama! Why did you not buy me those Monkees tickets!!! WHY!!!??” The good news is this feels like a parenting situation we can handle. If we survived, it probably means our kids will too (…unless it’s Monkees tickets). Plus, Biz wonders if it’s real and Theresa is i...
Mar 23, 2018•1 hr•Ep. 248
Don’t hang up yet, you’re just on hold! Biz and Theresa wonder if putting things on hold until [fill in the blank] is a good thing, and if perhaps it's better to just let some things go so that we can return to them when we're ready. Let's hold off on answering that. Plus, Biz is in the moment but not in the zone, Theresa says, "I’ll do it myself!" and we talk to award-winning children's book author and illustrator Airlie Anderson about her new book, Neither , which is a beautiful celebration of...
Mar 15, 2018•59 min•Ep. 247
Biz and Theresa talk about setting boundaries and how it can be the start, if not the actual act of self-care. Shutting yourself in the bathroom is a boundary, right? Plus, Biz really had a nice moment, Theresa also had a moment, and we talk to Debbie Reber from TiLT Parenting about differently-wired kids. Check out the beautifully designed TiLT Parenting and subscribe to the TiLT Parenting podcast which comes out every Tuesday. You can follow Debbie @debbiereber and TiLT Parenting @tiltparentin...
Mar 08, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 246
