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Parenting Roundabout

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Join parenting writers Terri Mauro, Catherine Holecko, and Nicole Eredics for a daily look at the things parents are talking about, complaining about, and obsessing about right now.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at ht… read more

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Weekly Roundup: Celebrity Charity Auction, “Only Murders in the Building,” DWTS Preview, “Pockets” and “Linty,” and What Moms Need to Know

September 26th, 2023

52:17

On our latest weekly roundup, we checked out a celebrity charity auction on eBay. Proceeds are going to support striking actors and writers, but we think the potential for awkwardness is rather high.

What we're watching: …

Weekly Roundup: Decluttering, “Only Murders in the Building,” “Theater Camp,” “Leslie for Class President,” and Managing Worry

September 19th, 2023

45:34

On our latest weekly roundup, we celebrated some decluttering triumphs (even as we know this is a job that never ends).

What we're watching: On Only Murders in the Building, "CoBro" did bring us some more details that we …

Weekly Roundup: Back-to-School Problems, “Only Murders in the Building,” “The Afterparty,” "Empire of the Sum," and Archival Complaints

September 12th, 2023

53:30

On our latest weekly roundup, we don't have any kids in public school anymore, but we can still complain about back-to-school issues like traffic and …

Weekly Roundup: Hair Color Etiquette, “Only Murders in the Building,” “The Afterparty,” Scary Places, and Parenting Challenges

September 5th, 2023

52:02

On our latest weekly roundup, we have questions about when to notice someone else's hairstyle, and what to do when someone notices yours.

What we're watching: On Only Murders in the Building, "Ah, Love!" upended two …

Weekly Roundup: A Special Guest, “Only Murders in the Building,” “The Afterparty,” Animal Fights, and School Strategies

August 29th, 2023

47:38

On our latest weekly roundup, we have a special guest star. Nicole is back for a cameo appearance!

What we're watching: On Only Murders in the Building

Weekly Roundup: Goodbye Landline, “Only Murders in the Building,” “The Afterparty,” “Cutting Teeth,” and Back-to-School Shopping

August 22nd, 2023

36:50

On our latest weekly roundup, we check in on a couple of milestones: losing a landline and gaining a new capacity for passive-aggressive commentary.

What we're watching: On Only Murders in the Building, "Grab Your …

Weekly Roundup: Ladies Who Lunch, “Only Murders in the Building,” “The Afterparty,” Lou the Fire Hydrant, and Capturing Special Moments

August 15th, 2023

37:58

On our latest weekly roundup, we check in on social events, with kids and without; at this point, sharing a fast-food lunch with a friend is a special treat.

What we're watching: Only Murders in the Building is back! …

Weekly Roundup: Pet Friends, “The Afterparty,” “Brothers & Sisters,” Literary Chickens, and Summer Transitions

August 8th, 2023

46:46

On our latest weekly roundup, we check in with our furry family members. Terri's dog is making friends, and Catherine's are making enemies.

What we're watching: On The Afterparty, this week's episode, "Sebastian," was a …

Weekly Roundup: “Barbie,” “The Afterparty,” “Brothers & Sisters,” Cute Vegetables, and Teamwork

August 1st, 2023

48:26

On our latest weekly roundup, we start with the unavoidable cultural onslaught that is Barbie, the movie (which allowed us to reminisce about the …

Weekly Roundup: Laptop Stickers, “The Afterparty,” “Brothers & Sisters,” Amish Novels, and Family Bonding

July 25th, 2023

48:26

On Parenting Roundabout's weekly roundup this week, we chat about the generational divide when it comes to laptop stickers (Terri's sticking with Gelaskins, but Catherine's pondering some individual stickers, like a …

Weekly Roundup: New Format, Dorm Decor, "The Afterparty," "Brothers & Sisters," Baby Lit, and the Same Old Same Old

July 18th, 2023

40:27

Welcome to Parenting Roundabout 5.0! (4.0? 6.0? Who knows!) Now that we are just a duo, and the last of our collective children has turned 18, we're …

Nicole's Parting Picks: Social Distancing, So Far

July 14th, 2023

16:16

Nicole is leaving us (sob!), so this week she is sharing some of her favorite episodes from our years (and years, and years!) of podcasting together. …

Nicole's Parting Picks: Celebrating 200 Episodes

July 13th, 2023

15:50

Nicole is leaving us (sob!), so this week she is sharing some of her favorite episodes from our years (and years, and years!) of podcasting together. …

Nicole's Parting Picks: We'll Miss You, Missy

July 12th, 2023

14:41

Nicole is leaving us (sob!), so this week she is sharing some of her favorite episodes from our years (and years, and years!) of podcasting together. …

What We’re Watching: 80 for Brady and Brothers and Sisters “Compromises”

July 11th, 2023

20:24

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we followed Sally Field from Pasadena to Boston and watched the movie 80 for Brady (also starring Jane …

Nicole's Parting Picks: How We Became Moms

July 10th, 2023

24:15

Remember last week, when Nicole mentioned driving all over the state of California? That's due to her new work schedule, and it means she won't be …

Roundabout Roundup: Something Was Wrong Podcast, Well & Good Dog Care, and Allbirds Shoes

July 7th, 2023

8:52

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Nicole's listening to the Something Was Wrong podcast on long drives. Terri's keeping her new dog clean with Well …

Getting That Quality Time

July 6th, 2023

10:44

An article about a mom who's taken up skateboarding to share that activity with her kids got us obsessing about how far we would (or, more likely, …

Room-Cleaning Rules

July 5th, 2023

11:50

The blowback from a TikTok video prompted us to complain about people who can't understand why a parent might tiptoe into their child's room once in …

What We’re Watching: Primo “The Recruitment Fair” and “What?” and Brothers and Sisters “The Missionary Imposition”

July 4th, 2023

21:12

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Primo's first season (of many, we hope!) comes to an end with two sweet love stories and plenty of silly uncle shenanigans.

Of course, there are always shenanigans with the …

A New Member of the Family

July 3rd, 2023

15:34

Terri's home is dog-less no more. Welcome, Layla! (Mentioned: Petfinder, which is a helpful way to look longingly at prospective pets in near-to-you …

Speed-Round Sunday: Kids' Room Decor

July 2nd, 2023

9:04

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

Find out which of us describes her child's interior design as "Hoarders-themed," and which one had to censor her kid's …

Second-Listen Saturday: The No-Fun Financial Surprise

July 1st, 2023

10:46

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from September 2019.

Nicole is …

Roundabout Roundup: Edmund Unravels, Imprint App, and “Taylor Swift” by Walker Hayes

June 30th, 2023

5:54

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine shouts out Edmund Unravels by Andrew Kolb, a children's book with an unlikely hero. Nicole's learning …

Attendance Is Mandatory (Maybe)

June 29th, 2023

10:04

An article in which a mom claimed to "never" force her kids to attend family events got us obsessing about the precarious balancing act of good manners, familial duty, and kids' autonomy.

This show is part of the …

Gift-Giving and Social Media

June 28th, 2023

9:02

After noticing an uptick of requests for gifts on social media (and car windows), we mildly complain about this practice, which is really just the millennial version of sending out formal announcements for life events.

What We’re Watching: Primo “The Carnival” and “The Candy Bar” and Brothers and Sisters “Feast of Epiphany”

June 27th, 2023

20:44

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we're still charmed by Primo (performances, relationships, plots―all of it!) and already sad about the fact that there are only two episodes left in this season: E7, "The …

When Kids Have Endless Energy

June 26th, 2023

16:45

We reached way back into the mental archives to talk about how to manage a parent-child energy-level mismatch. Godspeed, parents of little ones! Mentioned: Last week's shout-out of an icy activity.

This show is part of …

Speed-Round Sunday: Terrible Parenting Advice

June 25th, 2023

8:17

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

Parents (and therapists) from past generations have …

Second-Listen Saturday: Watching Our Kids' Weight and Our Own

June 24th, 2023

15:01

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from September 2019.

​ We …

Roundabout Roundup: Raffia Earrings, Dog Bandana, and Girl Scout Thin Mints Pretzels

June 23rd, 2023

13:12

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Nicole found some fun earrings that are perfect for Palm Springs. Terri found an unusual use for a doggie bandana. …

Quitting Time

June 22nd, 2023

11:33

It's a fact of parenting life: Kids try things, and they quit things. With the benefit of hindsight, we obsessed about all the trying and quitting our kids have done over the years, and how they feel about it now.

This …

Anti-Dopamine Parenting

June 21st, 2023

12:03

An article on NPR caught our eye with the promising title "Anti-dopamine parenting can curb a kid's craving for screens or sweets." (Can it also curb …

What We’re Watching: Primo “The Ride Home” and “The Game Champ” and Brothers and Sisters “Holy Matrimony!”

June 20th, 2023

20:40

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Primo continues to delight with its lived-in family situations, charming characters, and funny jokes. Next: S1 E5, "The Carnival," and E6, "The Candy Bar."

Brothers and Sisters

Proud Parent Moments

June 19th, 2023

13:04

We are super proud of our kids' big accomplishments, like earning diplomas and degrees. But we're also very proud of the little things, like showing up for a roommate, being a good sport, and sending a thank-you note.

Speed-Round Sunday: Family Conversations

June 18th, 2023

6:23

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

After discussing our inadequacies as pet parents, we moved on to talk about another thing we're not that great at.

This …

Second-Listen Saturday: Making Our Kids' Lives Easier

June 17th, 2023

10:22

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from September 2019.

​We try to set our kids up for success, one storage bin and phone alarm at a …

Roundabout Roundup: Biofreeze Patches, Naturalizer Flexy Flats, and Autom

June 16th, 2023

7:38

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine's singing the praises of Biofreeze patches for your aches and pains, while Nicole's back with another …

They Mess You Up, Your Mum and Dad

June 15th, 2023

10:58

An episode of Ted Lasso that highlighted all the ways parents might damage their kids (as in the Philip Larkin poem Mae quotes, "This Be the Verse") got us obsessing about what our kids might say to us about their …

Dumb Fights

June 14th, 2023

13:03

A fracas over fish got us complaining about dumb fights with family members: What they're really about, and why they aren't as effective as the tantrums our own moms threw.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime …

What We’re Watching: Primo “Big Eyes” and “The Cookout” and Brothers and Sisters “Something New”

June 13th, 2023

20:05

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we found that Primo deserves all the paise it's been getting, and we're looking forward to watching the rest of season 1. Next: S1 E3, "The Ride Home," and E4, "The Game …

Summer Plans and Goals

June 12th, 2023

14:08

With graduation behind us and warm weather here, we talk about our summer projects, from big (new job! College move-in prep!) to just-the-right size …

Speed-Round Sunday: Homework Help

June 11th, 2023

9:08

It's usually unfair to teachers to blow off homework. But you can find a way to make it work better for your child. Mentioned: Our interview with

Second-Listen Saturday: Family Food Fights

June 10th, 2023

11:22

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from September 2019.
​​
​We complain about how hard it is for people with different priorities, …

Roundabout Roundup: Special Olympics, the Scamanda Podcast, and Boards Cookbook

June 9th, 2023

6:17

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Terri's shouting out the Special Olympics on the occasion of the New Jersey summer games. You can participate, …

Resolution Recommitment Day

June 8th, 2023

9:08

We're observing this apparent holiday a week late, which tracks with our general attitude toward making and keeping New Year's resolutions. …

Pics or It Didn’t Happen

June 7th, 2023

15:27

Increasingly desperate sales pitches from a graduation photographer got us complaining (and, OK, sometimes celebrating) the corny pictures pressed …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso “So Long, Farewell” and Brothers and Sisters “36 Hours”

June 6th, 2023

30:50

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we said "so long" to Ted Lasso and Ted Lasso after three seasons. While not everyone liked this finale …

Graduation Report

June 5th, 2023

16:20

After four very long years, we have two newly minted graduates: Nicole's daughter from university and Catherine's son from high school. Their …

Speed-Round Sunday: Summer Camp Packing List

June 4th, 2023

10:27

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure. This one is from 2017 and follows up on yesterday's …

Second-Listen Saturday: Summer Camp Suggestions

June 3rd, 2023

12:02

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from July 2019.

​AMC Theaters'

Roundabout Roundup: Amazon Sandals and Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts

June 2nd, 2023

5:33

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Both Nicole and Catherine are sharing cute summer shoes they found on Amazon: a two-band braided low block heel

Mementos of the Teen Years

June 1st, 2023

16:33

An article that waxed nostalgic about kids' book collections got us obsessing about what we've hung on to from our kids' teen years (and even our …

Managing Mean Girls

May 31st, 2023

12:28

A truly sad advice column question at Slate got us complaining about mean girls and what to do about them, in your kids' lives and in your own. Step …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso “Mom City” and Brothers and Sisters “Two Places”

May 30th, 2023

21:27

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Ted Lasso approaches the end of season 3 (and possibly the entire series) with an episode that could …

Memorable College Moments

May 29th, 2023

12:25

An article at Grown & Flown titled "10 Moments From College That I Would Like to Relive" prompted us to talk about all those precious moments …

Speed-Round Sunday: Summer Reading

May 28th, 2023

9:26

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

​This question about what our kids are reading this summer was mostly a confession of what they're not reading.

This show …

Second-Listen Saturday: Kids' Big Decisions

May 27th, 2023

12:13

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from August 2019.

It's easy to …

Roundabout Roundup: Ashley McBryde Videos, L'Oreal Root Cover-Up Spray, and Queen Charlotte

May 26th, 2023

8:57

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Terri recommends two Ashley McBryde songs, with accompanying videos, that are fun, fiery, and female-empowering: "

Moms’ Superhero Skills

May 25th, 2023

13:15

A rather wide-ranging survey on moms' superheroic skills and traits, and their confidence in them, got us obsessing about skills we have--and wish we had.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Waiting Room Woes

May 24th, 2023

13:05

Nicole's hours-long passport agency ordeal got us complaining about having to corral kids in waiting rooms and other boring places, and also …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso “International Break” and Brothers and Sisters “Domestic Issues”

May 23rd, 2023

24:57

On this week's entertainment- themed episode, a delightful episode of Ted Lasso featured many character breakthroughs and lovely scenes, plus the …

Senior Pranks

May 22nd, 2023

13:48

It's high school graduation season, so we talked senior pranks and other traditional observances, like senior skip day, cap decorating, and the …

Speed-Round Sunday: Who's Making Lunch?

May 21st, 2023

9:31

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

Of our six (teen and adult) kids, only about two …

Second-Listen Saturday: High School Starts and Schedules

May 20th, 2023

13:32

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from August 2019.

On today's …

Roundabout Roundup: A Man Called Otto and Veeps Livestream Concerts

May 19th, 2023

10:18

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine recommends the Tom Hanks movie A Man Called Otto if you need a good cry (it's based on the book A Man Called Ove). Also mentioned: Up in the Air. Terri enjoyed a Walker Hayes …

Take Your Mom to Work Day

May 18th, 2023

10:13

Take Your Child to Work Day was a few weeks back. But today, Terri makes an impassioned pitch for Take Your Mom to Work Day. Will no one think of the mothers whose kids won't tell them anything??

This show is part of the …

How Strict Are Our Parenting Rules?

May 17th, 2023

31:26

Today we direct our complaining at a Buzzfeed quiz on parenting which did not necessarily give us sensible responses to choose from. We found that we …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso “La Locker Room Aux Folles” and Brothers and Sisters “States of the Union”

May 16th, 2023

16:30

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, an entertaining (if still too long) episode of Ted Lasso brought us some good new phrases to adopt, Rupert still being a snake, and Rebecca getting to be a big boss lady. …

Happy Day After Mother’s Day

May 15th, 2023

13:38

We don't ask for much on Mother's Day, especially now that we have quite a few under our belts. You can just get us some chicken nuggets and take …

Speed-Round Sunday: Recent Texts to the Family

May 14th, 2023

6:19

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

When we asked "What was the most recent text you sent to or received from a family member?", there was one fervent prayer, …

Second-Listen Saturday: Weddings Past, Present, and Future

May 13th, 2023

17:25

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from August 2019.

On today's episode, we compare and contrast our own weddings with those of the …

Roundabout Roundup: Upload, Coolibar, Top Chef World All Stars

May 12th, 2023

8:22

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Nicole's leaning into the world of AI with an Amazon Prime series called Upload. Terri's protecting her neck,

Chatting About ChatGPT

May 11th, 2023

15:39

On today's episode, we're obsessing about ChatGPT and other AI tools. One of us are excited about the possibilities, and the other two are feeling …

Kids in Public Places

May 10th, 2023

15:46

On today's complaint episode, we discuss whether kids are more disliked (and/or less tolerated) today than in the past, and wade into the great Plane …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso S3 E7 and E8 and Brothers and Sisters S2 E3

May 9th, 2023

25:28

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we caught up with two episodes of Ted Lasso. Like their predecessors this season, they were long and fairly free of plot, although there were some nice moments. Next: S3 E9, …

What's New With Us

May 8th, 2023

21:33

We take one week off and a whole lot of stuff happens! So we're giving you the scoop on all of that today. After all our complaining and obsessing …

Speed-Round Sunday: Appliance Time

May 7th, 2023

10:07

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

​Our appliances let us know when they're ready to be replaced by refusing to do their jobs.

This show is part of the …

Second-Listen Saturday: Mistakes That Are Definitely Not Our Fault

May 6th, 2023

10:57

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from August 2019.

​​When you're juggling as many balls as we are, sometimes one or two get dropped. …

Recovery Replay: Self-Advocacy at the Doctor's Office

May 5th, 2023

12:22

Terri is recuperating from surgery and we have forced her to take a few days off. So this week, we're looking back at some of our past discussions on encounters with sickness, health, and health care. Today’s chat is …

Recovery Replay: Your Most Recent Sick Day

May 4th, 2023

4:52

Terri is recuperating from surgery and we have forced her to take a few days off. So this week, we're looking back at some of our past discussions on encounters with sickness, health, and health care. Today’s chat is …

Recovery Replay: The Doctor Will See You Eventually

May 3rd, 2023

9:07

Terri is recuperating from surgery and we have forced her to take a few days off. So this week, we're looking back at some of our past discussions on encounters with sickness, health, and health care. Today’s chat is …

Recovery Replay: The Mom Flu

May 2nd, 2023

11:24

Terri is recuperating from surgery and we have forced her to take a few days off. So this week, we're looking back at some of our past discussions on encounters with sickness, health, and health care. Today’s chat is …

Recovery Replay: What Is the Worst Thing About Going to the Doctor?

May 1st, 2023

4:30

Terri is recuperating from surgery and we have forced her to take a few days off. So this week, we're looking back at some of our past discussions on encounters with sickness, health, and health care. Today’s chat is …

Speed-Round Sunday: Parental Martyrdom

April 30th, 2023

13:37

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

​On a scale of sharing Ketchup Chips to watching The Emoji Movie, we gauge our willingness to play the martyr.

This show …

Second-Listen Saturday: The Costs of Raising Kids

April 29th, 2023

15:08

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from August 2019.

This report on how much our little darlings cost us got us complaining about all …

Roundabout Roundup: Candle Warmer Lamp, Niimbot Label Maker, Liddle Griddle

April 28th, 2023

9:51

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine was influenced by Sherry at Young House Love to buy her daughter a candle warmer lamp. Nicole's labeling …

Generation Gaps

April 27th, 2023

15:02

A New York Times newsletter item suggesting that today's adult kids are doing better than their parents think they are got us obsessing about what it …

Tensions and Transitions

April 26th, 2023

19:14

A Psychology Today article about sources of tension between adult children and their parents got us complaining about our old friends, the listicle …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso “Sunflowers” and Brothers and Sisters “An American Family”

April 25th, 2023

30:03

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, the Ted Lasso crew goes on a somewhat trippy trip to Amsterdam. The players vow to stick together as a …

The Last Dance

April 24th, 2023

16:14

It's prom season, and the youngest of our kids is attending two events this year (which came as something of a surprise to his mother).

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in …

Speed-Round Sunday: When Kids Want to Change Their Names

April 23rd, 2023

6:14

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

Terri's daughter found out the hard way that Facebook doesn't look too kindly on name changes made just for fun.

This show …

Second-Listen Saturday: Disappointing Kids' Activities

April 22nd, 2023

12:45

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from July 2019.

In this …

Roundabout Roundup: Corkcicle Water Bottles, Thank You for Listening, and Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

April 21st, 2023

8:34

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Nicole's marveling at the power of her Corkcicle water bottle. Terri enjoyed the story, writing, and narration, …

We Could Write a Book

April 20th, 2023

12:03

When we heard about an upcoming mother-daughter book by Diane Ladd and Laura Dern, we obsessed about the books we could write, given that we all have …

In Their Own Time

April 19th, 2023

19:54

Catherine's son got his temporary driver's license almost three years late, and Terri's made his confirmation at age 30. So we complained about artificial timetables and the people who try to make us and our kids stick …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso “Signs” and Brothers and Sisters “Home Front”

April 18th, 2023

20:28

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, "Signs" was the last episode of Ted Lasso for Shandy (we hope) and Zava (we wonder). We saw a lot of plot points coming, but not Zava's retirement. Next: S3 E6, "Sunflowers."

The Family Medicine Chest

April 17th, 2023

14:30

An article on baby first-aid kits got us talking about essentials for bigger kids: We've traded the nasal aspirator and the tiny medicine droppers for KT Tape and chewing gum (but two of us can't seem to keep un-expired …

Speed-Round Sunday: Parenting Warning Labels

April 16th, 2023

6:17

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

​Inspired by the funny ladies of I Mom So Hard, we …

Second-Listen Saturday: Teensplaining

April 15th, 2023

10:36

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from July 2019.

On today's …

Sibling Stories

April 13th, 2023

15:10

A question about how our first kids are different from their younger siblings got us obsessing about personality, birth order, nature vs. nurture, and what our kids' relationships are with each other now vs. when they …

Do Us a Favor

April 12th, 2023

18:18

Prompted by a Huffington Post query, we complain about how and why it's so hard to let others help us, when we are perfectly willing to extend a hand to neighbors and friends in need. What's your position on asking for …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso “Big Week” and Brothers and Sisters “Matriarchy”

April 11th, 2023

28:26

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: Ted Lasso's team may have had a "big week," but the episode was fairly small and restrained. We'd like our jokes back, please! Next: Season 3, episode 5, "Signs."

On Brothers …

A Surprise Facebook Victory

April 10th, 2023

16:01

A few weeks ago, Nicole told a sad tale of being disappeared from Facebook against her will due to a hack. But thanks to a commenter on one of our …

Speed-Round Sunday: Parent Group Pet Peeves

April 9th, 2023

11:06

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

It's hard being a parent-group newbie, and it's hard …

Second-Listen Saturday: Iffy Etiquette

April 8th, 2023

15:29

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from July 2019.

We obsess …

Roundabout Roundup: PlayPodcast.net, The Last of Us, and Trader Joe’s Cake Mix

April 7th, 2023

8:55

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Terri's found another way to listen to podcasts, including ours: PlayPodcast.net. Nicole's watching HBO's The Last …

What Is a Young Adult?

April 6th, 2023

13:12

As mentioned yesterday, Terri's son had a milestone birthday, which means Terri's now obsessing about whether she's actually the parent of "young" …

Birthday Celebrations for Big Kids

April 5th, 2023

15:51

It's offspring birthday season for both Terri and Catherine, with milestones all around: 18! 21! 30! Terri's wondering what, exactly, a parent's birthday-party obligations are when kids cruise past the ball-pit and …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso Season 3 and Brothers and Sisters “Favorite Son”

April 4th, 2023

32:34

Now that Shrinking has left us (for now), we pivot to a show with some similar DNA: Ted Lasso, returning for season 3. We're happy to see these old …

The First Post-College Job

April 3rd, 2023

18:29

With Nicole's daughter about to graduate from university and weighing her options, we talked about our own first steps into the work world. …

Speed-Round Sunday: Entertaining Teens

April 2nd, 2023

7:14

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

While we're pretty live-and-let-live when it comes to teens and screens, we do acknowledge that there are times when they …

Second-Listen Saturday: Competitive Mom Bragging

April 1st, 2023

13:17

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from July 2019.

Another …

Roundabout Roundup: Monopoly Deal, Walker Hayes “Being a Dad and Missing Mine,” and Anigrams

March 31st, 2023

6:16

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole's discovered Monopoly Deal, a card game she says is a big improvement on the Monopoly board game. Terri's …

Good Mom Moments

March 30th, 2023

10:59

On today's episode, we're obsessing about those times (and tasks) that make us feel we're succeeding at our mom jobs. These can be rare, so we have to recognize them when they happen.

This show is part of the Spreaker …

Is Oversharing Bad Parenting?

March 29th, 2023

14:34

A survey that accused parents--especially Gen-X ones, like Nicole and Catherine--of oversharing about their kids on social media got us complaining. …

What We’re Watching: Shrinking “Closure” and Brothers and Sisters “Grapes of Wrath”

March 28th, 2023

23:23

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we came to the end of Shrinking's first season with "Closure." While it did tie up many loose ends, it then created a giant problem to deal with in season 2. While we're not …

A Big Facebook Fail

March 27th, 2023

15:46

As we mentioned last week, Nicole was hit by a Facebook hack that caused her to lose her personal account and with it, access to her Inclusive Class

Speed-Round Sunday: Parenting Failures

March 26th, 2023

7:21

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

Way back in Episode 97, we patted ourselves on the back for some strong parenting skillz. This time around, we're …

Second-Listen Saturday: Milestones for Adults

March 25th, 2023

14:16

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from July 2019.

We talk about

Here We Go Again: Old-Timey Technology

March 24th, 2023

16:07

With Nicole dealing with the aftermath of the Lily Collins Facebook hack, we're taking the week off to revisit some tech talks, complaints, and …

Here We Go Again: Would You Do a Digital Detox?

March 23rd, 2023

14:47

With Nicole dealing with the aftermath of the Lily Collins Facebook hack, we're taking the week off to revisit some tech talks, complaints, and …

Here We Go Again: Technology Disappointments

March 22nd, 2023

5:59

With Nicole dealing with the aftermath of the Lily Collins Facebook hack, we're taking the week off to revisit some tech talks, complaints, and …

What We’re Watching: Shrinking “Moving Forward” and Brothers and Sisters “Bad News”

March 21st, 2023

23:14

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: We continue to enjoy hanging out with the Shrinking folks, who do seem to be moving forward as this …

Here We Go Again: Technical Difficulties

March 20th, 2023

13:33

With Nicole dealing with the aftermath of the Lily Collins Facebook hack, we're taking the week off to revisit some tech talks, complaints, and …

Speed-Round Sunday: Pet Peeves with Kids' Activities

March 19th, 2023

12:20

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

Having built up a good head of steam on our first topic, we keep it up with some complaints about kids' activities. Can no …

Second-Listen Saturday: Entrepreneurial Kids

March 18th, 2023

11:06

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from July 2019.

This article …

Roundabout Roundup: Morgan Wallen’s “One Thing at a Time,” King Koil Mattress, and Suet Log Bird Feeder

March 17th, 2023

8:45

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri's Country Music Minute brings us Morgan Wallen's latest, "One Thing at a Time." Nicole's resting easy on a …

Baby, What’s Your Sign?

March 16th, 2023

16:48

An article about kids' astrological signs got us obsessing about whether they matched our own kids' temperaments and behaviors. First, we had to …

Clickbait Complaint

March 15th, 2023

12:25

When we're casting about for something to inspire a rant, an article about "fill-in-the-blank parenting" is usually a safe bet. This week, it's "lazy parenting." Surprise! It's not lazy at all!

This show is part of the …

What We’re Watching: Shrinking “Boop” and Brothers and Sisters “Game Night”

March 14th, 2023

20:38

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Shrinking gave us some fun new combinations of characters (and a great business idea) in "Boop." Next: S1 E9, "Moving Forward."

The combinations on Brothers and Sisters were …

Learn From Our Experiences

March 13th, 2023

14:34

We're late to the TikTok party of sharing inside info from our professional experiences--as parents. But we have plenty of stories and "it worked for me" advice, so we're talking about it today. Mentioned: Terri's

Speed-Round Sunday: Clothing Injustices

March 12th, 2023

10:05

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

Inspired by the viral "I Swimsuit So Hard" video, we gripe about all the uncomfortable and impractical clothes women are …

Second-Listen Saturday: ​The Indignities of Aging

March 11th, 2023

13:41

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from June 2019.

​Terri may have …

Roundabout Roundup: TRU Hotels, Animals Doing Things on Instagram, and Universalis

March 10th, 2023

10:04

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, hip young traveler Nicole recommends TRU by Hilton hotels. Today's Instagram Minute is from Catherine, who …

Parental Peace Offerings

March 9th, 2023

11:40

An article about parents of a newborn who buttered up their neighbors with free booze prompted us to obsess about what peace offerings we'd provide, and when (and whether they're needed at all).

This show is part of the …

Mistakes Were Made

March 8th, 2023

15:13

Terri confessed to an error she would've yelled at her kids for making, so Nicole and Catherine had to chime in with their own goofs to make her feel …

What We’re Watching: Shrinking “Apology Tour” and Brothers and Sisters “Three Parties”

March 7th, 2023

21:13

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, it's parties everywhere. The Shrinking gang, in the episode titled "Apology Tour," deals with post-party …

There’s a Subscription for That

March 6th, 2023

14:13

A roundup of the best shampoo subscriptions got us talking about all the things we'd like to see delivered regularly to our doorsteps, from the …

Speed-Round Sunday: Parenting App Ideas

March 5th, 2023

5:41

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

Attention, app developers: We have some ideas for …

Second-Listen Saturday: The Things Only Mom Knows

March 4th, 2023

11:44

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from July 2019 (and it's a …

Roundabout Roundup: The Dumb Dads on Instagram, Jodsone Gel Nail Polish Kit, and This Is How It Always Is

March 3rd, 2023

9:29

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, It's Terri's turn for an Instagram Minute: She's passing along a recommendation from her ENT (hi, Dr. Lee from …

Family Secrets and Lies

March 2nd, 2023

10:40

There will always be some family issues that we want to keep within the immediate family, or maybe we want to keep from the kids just a little longer. On today's episode, we obsessed about what and how and when and why …

In Defense of Helicopter Parenting

March 1st, 2023

11:59

A report on a study of helicopter parenting, which you'd think we would be cheering, somehow gave us fodder for complaints: One of us isn't buying …

What We’re Watching: Shrinking “Imposter Syndrome” and Brothers and Sisters “All in the Family”

February 28th, 2023

22:05

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Shrinking managed to out-cringe Brothers and Sisters (not easy), thanks to terrible decisions by just about everyone. It's no wonder that next week's episode, S1 E7, is …

Modern Sales Strategies

February 27th, 2023

12:01

A cute video claiming to use AI to help sell Walker Hayes's home got us talking about what we'd like to put up for sale, and how we could use the …

Speed-Round Sunday: Our Kids' Best Qualities

February 26th, 2023

7:03

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

From fantastic memory to nerves of steel, we celebrate the qualities we admire in our kids.

This show is part of the …

Second-Listen Saturday: Boundaries for Boomerang Kids

February 25th, 2023

10:36

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from June 2019.

An unwelcome …

Roundabout Roundup: 2s Company Specialty Crisps, I’ve Had It Podcast, and Substack Newsletters

February 24th, 2023

8:48

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine's snacking on flavorful, virtuous crackers from 2s Company, while Nicole's laughing with the ladies of …

Ghostwriting for Our Kids

February 23rd, 2023

13:57

A Wall Street Journal article about parents ghostwriting their kids' texts got us obsessing: Our ghostwriting services extend well beyond texts. We are professionals!

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if …

We Just Don’t Get It

February 22nd, 2023

15:06

Whether it's due to a generation gap or a kid's need to "figure it out" themselves, we can complain about plenty of occasions when we just don't understand what our kids are doing. And we don't think we're alone.

This …

What We’re Watching: Shrinking “Woof” and Brothers and Sisters “The Other Walker”

February 21st, 2023

22:48

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, the Shrinking folks are doing things they can't face, or at least trying to, while the Walkers, on …

Family Activities of Yesterday and Today

February 20th, 2023

11:45

Inspired by TikTok, we chatted about what activities our families like to share, starting with watching TikToks together.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this …

Speed-Round Sunday: Kids and Coffee

February 19th, 2023

6:35

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

Find out which one of us bans coffee for kids and teens, and which one fed it to her young child by accident.

This show is …

Second-Listen Saturday: 18 Summers

February 18th, 2023

10:32

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from July 2019.

After reading …

Roundabout Roundup: Brinks Door Security Bar, Omron Blood Pressure Monitor, and Singer Claire Kelly

February 17th, 2023

8:35

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole's fortifying her home with a heavy-duty door security bar from Brinks. Terri is keeping tabs on her health …

Marie Kondo’s Change of Heart

February 16th, 2023

12:26

On today's episode, we obsess about the news that Marie Kondo has backtracked a bit on her tidiness crusade (and of course, has written a new book about it). Mentioned: Silk long underwear, tea organizer.

This show is …

The Medical Test Gauntlet

February 15th, 2023

14:37

Terri's been through a lot of medical tests recently, which gives us the opportunity to complain about all that entails--from the discomfort to the claustrophobia to the too-long (or sometimes too short?) wait for …

What We’re Watching: Shrinking “Fifteen Minutes” and “Potatoes” and Brothers and Sisters “Love Is Difficult”

February 14th, 2023

28:58

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we see two views of psychotherapy. On Shrinking, Jimmy is having mixed results with his unorthodox …

Real-Life Conversation Hearts

February 13th, 2023

8:32

After our friend Mike shared a meme on the topic of "if moms made candy hearts," we decided to devote this almost-Valentine's Day episode to talking …

Speed-Round Sunday: Mom Jewelry

February 12th, 2023

5:12

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

Turns out we're not big jewelry people, but we do each have a sentimental piece or two.

This show is part of the Spreaker …

Second-Listen Saturday: Fake Life Deadlines

February 11th, 2023

11:38

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from July 2019.

As if …

Roundabout Roundup: Round 2 Archives and The Traitors

February 10th, 2023

10:36

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri's shouting out her own efforts and imploring you to check out the index she's creating of everything we've covered on Round 2: TV shows, movies, books, live theatre, and more. …

Second Thoughts: Our Lives As TV Shows

February 9th, 2023

9:25

This week, we are bringing you some second thoughts on round-2 related topics from our archives. Today, we revisit and update an episode from August 2017, "Our Lives Are Like a Bad TV Show." Spoiler: Terri's moved from …

Second Thoughts: What Our Kids Are Watching

February 8th, 2023

15:43

This week, we are bringing you some second thoughts on round-2 related topics from our archives. Today, an episode from August 2017 on what our kids were watching. Some things have changed, and some have stayed very …

What We’re Watching: Shrinking “Coin Flip” and “Fortress of Solitude” and Brothers and Sisters “Valentine’s Day Massacre”

February 7th, 2023

27:47

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we checked out the first two episodes of Shrinking, a new Bill Lawrence/Brett Goldstein comedy on Apple …

Second Thoughts: Our Most Memorable Years

February 6th, 2023

15:47

This week, we are drawing on our Round 2 themes to bring you some second thoughts on round-2 related topics from our archives. First up, in October 2017, we jumped off of our Dancing with the Stars watch to talk about

Speed-Round Sunday: Watching Sports

February 5th, 2023

6:05

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

​Today's question: What sports do you find the most boring to watch? The most exciting?

This show is part of the Spreaker …

Second-Listen Saturday: Saying Too Much

February 4th, 2023

14:08

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from July 2019.

Sometimes it's …

Roundabout Roundup: Summit Health, Computer Cleaning Kit, and BeReal

February 3rd, 2023

9:56

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri's shouting out her local mega-medical practice, Summit Health (coming to a location near you soon, …

Support Without Smothering

February 2nd, 2023

10:32

An article titled "12 Ways to Help Your Young Adult When Life Knocks Them Down" got us obsessing about how and when it's appropriate to step in when …

Are You a Jellyfish or a Piranha?

February 1st, 2023

9:57

The latest "insert-animal-here" parenting style is apparently jellyfish parenting. But instead of complaining about that, we decided to pick our own sea creatures to identify with. (Watch out for Terri's sharp teeth.)

What We’re Watching: Dog Gone and Brothers and Sisters “Something Ida This Way Comes”

January 31st, 2023

36:09

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we followed Rob Lowe from Brothers and Sisters (and West Wing and Parks & Rec before that) to his …

That Could Be a Movie

January 30th, 2023

12:08

The relentless promos for the new movie 80 for Brady (like the trailer and music video) got us talking about events from our own lives that should …

Speed-Round Sunday: Big Box or Mom and Pop?

January 29th, 2023

5:11

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

Today's question: For shopping during the holiday …

Second-Listen Saturday: Four Things That Define Us

January 28th, 2023

10:00

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from June 2019.

​At The Shop Forward (which Terri recommended recently), you can customize a tote bag

Setting Goals for Our Kids

January 26th, 2023

14:30

When kids are little, we have hopes and dreams for what they'll accomplish. As they get older, we have to let go of the goal-setting process. If you …

Does Motherhood Need a New Label?

January 25th, 2023

10:42

An article suggesting more widespread use of the term "matrescence" for the transition to motherhood got us (well, one of us, especially) ranting about fancy words for common experiences. But we can all agree that when …

What We’re Watching: Night Court Reboot and Brothers and Sisters “Sexual Politics”

January 24th, 2023

22:39

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we checked out NBC's absolutely fine and pleasant reboot of Night Court, created by and starring Melissa …

Viral Anti-Parenting Advice

January 23rd, 2023

12:10

When we read some "anti-parenting advice" prompted by a viral Twitter thread, we had to talk about it. Is it any surprise to learn that just as we are anti a lot of parenting advice, we are also anti anti-parenting …

Speed-Round Sunday: Events that Defy Explanation

January 22nd, 2023

8:10

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

We tell our tales of cars that pull off magical …

Second-Listen Saturday: Pre-Travel Prep

January 21st, 2023

11:00

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from June 2019.

Summer brings travel, and travel brings us such a lengthy list of to-dos and …

Roundabout Roundup: Catechism in a Year Podcast, BurgeonNest Pet Heating Pad, and a Laugh-Out-Loud Oral History

January 20th, 2023

13:04

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri's just one of many fans of Father Mike Schmitz's Catechism in a Year podcast. Nicole's caring for her local …

Next-Level Kid Surveillance

January 19th, 2023

10:11

Last week, we talked about parents using baby monitors to supervise big kids. Then we heard about a mom who tracked her kid down in cyberspace--not to quit playing games, but to defrost a lasagna for dinner. Brilliant!

Who Are You Calling ‘Mature’?

January 18th, 2023

14:43

On today's episode, we're complaining about Facebook's algorithm serving us up ads for clothing and shoes "for mature women." Listen, just because we like comfortable, roomy clothes and some nice arch support doesn't …

What We’re Watching: The Lost City and Brothers and Sisters “Family Day”

January 17th, 2023

24:28

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we caught up with the Sandra Bullock-Channing Tatum rom-com The Lost City, a delightful tropical …

Advice from Nonagenarians

January 16th, 2023

14:18

After reading the life advice Sahil Bloom collected from 90-year-olds (found via Liz Gumbinner's Substack), we talked about what advice made sense to …

Speed-Round Sunday: Overrated Vacations

January 15th, 2023

5:32

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

Our thoughts on what's overrated cover rather a lot of ground: Beaches. Amusement parks. Water parks. Camping. Leaving the …

Second-Listen Saturday: Dad Shaming

January 14th, 2023

11:34

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from June 2019.

A recent poll …

Roundabout Roundup: BoxLunch, White Lotus, and Oats Overnight

January 13th, 2023

9:06

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine shouts out a fun store called BoxLunch, where you can buy fun goodies like a Hufflepuff ramen bundle. …

Baby Monitors for Big Kids

January 12th, 2023

15:38

The topic generator that is Julie Jargon at the Wall Street Journal strikes again, this time with an article titled "These parents use baby monitors …

Babysitter Behavior

January 11th, 2023

12:32

A Scary Mommy article about a mom who didn't appreciate her babysitter's need to shower on the job got us complaining about--well, not babysitters. About lack of context, mostly, and our own inexperience with babysitter …

What We’re Watching: Glass Onion and Brothers and Sisters “Light the Lights”

January 10th, 2023

28:18

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we caught up with the latest exploits of Benoit Blanc (of Knives Out) in the movie Glass Onion. It's …

Money Mistakes

January 9th, 2023

20:20

An adult kid's confession got us talking about how hard it is to help grown children manage their money... or to ask for any help at all.

This show is …

Speed-Round Sunday: Would You Rather: Careers

January 8th, 2023

3:37

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

When given the choice between two occupations, we'll always try to figure out which one has the lower potential for …

Second-Listen Saturday: Ambiguous Kid-Speak

January 7th, 2023

10:38

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from June 2019.

We attempt to translate all those words kids say that mean everything and also …

New Year Speed Round: Leisure Time in 2023

January 6th, 2023

12:16

Today we're taking a look ahead at our leisure and pop-culture consumption. Will we get anywhere with our backlog of newspapers, audiobooks, and …

New Year Speed Round: Our Homes in 2023

January 5th, 2023

7:46

We're looking ahead (and around our homes) with fingers crossed: Please, nothing big break this year!

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at

New Year Speed Round: Our Families in 2023

January 4th, 2023

8:41

On today's New Year's episode, we look ahead to what our children might be up to in the coming year. Some of them have a pretty long to-do list.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in …

What We’re Watching: Brothers and Sisters “Mistakes Were Made”

January 3rd, 2023

20:04

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we watched a Brothers and Sisters two-parter called "Mistakes Were Made." And, indeed, there were …

New Year Speed Round: Our Work in 2023

January 2nd, 2023

8:02

To ring in the new year, we're returning to our speed round format to look ahead to what's coming up in 2023. Today, we're talking about our jobs (podcasting included!).

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, …

Speed-Round Sunday: Health Procrastination

January 1st, 2023

6:49

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

We know we should do all these important health …

Second-Listen Saturday: We Need a Parenting Ghostwriter

December 31st, 2022

9:38

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from June 2019.

A few weeks …

Winter Break Speed Round: When We Were 23

December 30th, 2022

8:41

This winter-break week, we’re going back to our old Speed Round format to bring you some quick episodes to close out the year. Today, with 2023 …

Winter Break Speed Round: 2022 Accomplishments

December 29th, 2022

6:10

Only one of us got a master's degree (and we are so proud of her!) but we all took on some new challenges in 2022, and we should give ourselves …

Winter Break Speed Round: Best Place You Visited in 2022

December 28th, 2022

4:47

This winter-break week, we’re going back to our old Speed Round format to bring you some quick episodes to close out the year. Today, we're looking …

Winter Break Speed Round: Most Memorable Meal of 2022

December 27th, 2022

7:39

This winter-break week, we’re going back to our old Speed Round format to bring you some quick episodes to close out the year. Today, we're …

Winter Break Speed Round: Best Books of 2022

December 26th, 2022

6:43

Every week, we chat about what parents are talking, complaining, and obsessing about right now. But this winter-break week, we’re going back to our …

Speed-Round Sunday: Reality Check

December 25th, 2022

5:30

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure.

We cop to those experiences that sound like a great idea, but kinda suck in reality.

This show is part of the Spreaker …

Second-Listen Saturday: Going to the Dentist

December 24th, 2022

13:05

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This discussion is from June 2019.

​We revisit a past complaint target in a new way: First it was dental insurance. Now …

Roundabout Roundup: Socks Advent Calendar, Deep Shinola, and Liturgy of the Hours

December 23rd, 2022

9:11

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine suggests fun sock Advent calendars from Target, Nicole is enjoying a new card game called Deep Shinola, …

Parenting Trends to Take or Leave

December 21st, 2022

12:46

A Buzzfeed listicle on parenting trends did its job, getting us to talk about it by way of complaining about what's included and what's not. Join us for the gentle snark.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, …

What We’re Watching: Ticket to Paradise and Brothers and Sisters “Northern Exposure”

December 20th, 2022

29:29

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we flew to Bali for Ticket to Paradise, the George Clooney-Julia Roberts vehicle that was utterly …

Speed-Round Sunday: Would You Rather: Approaches to Life

December 18th, 2022

9:33

During a series of "Would You Rather?" Speed Rounds, we take on WYR questions about how we approach life (and chocolate).

This show is part of the …

Second-Listen Saturday: Parents Tattling on Kids

December 17th, 2022

12:24

Terri's still obsessing over a years-old situation, while Nicole and Catherine have more recent experience: What do you do when you're in a position …

Roundabout Roundup: Dance & Co., Lapacker Laptop Backpack, and Hugimals

December 16th, 2022

8:03

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri recommends another Dancing with the Stars side-hustle project: online workouts and dance classes with lots …

Keeping Score on Family Squabbles

December 15th, 2022

13:19

Terri's at her wit's end with minor family bickering, and trying to come up with a way to either stop it, or at least make it more fun for her to referee. So we obsessed about ways to gamify frequent family fights.

This …

Toys That Weren’t Worth It

December 14th, 2022

14:37

In response to a Scary Mommy post called "9 Toys I Can Unequivocally Say Were a Total Waste of Money" [https://www.scarymommy.com/parenting/9-toys-i-can-unequivocally-say-were-a-total-waste-of-money], we complained …

What We’re Watching: Love Actually 20th Anniversary and Brothers and Sisters “For the Children”

December 13th, 2022

28:03

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we checked in on Love Actually, the Christmas movie that's celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. …

Letting Go of Holiday Obligations

December 12th, 2022

16:07

In response to a Grown & Flown article [https://grownandflown.com/christmas-is-for-mothers-also/] (which is a response to this SNL skit from 2021 …

Speed-Round Sunday: Would You Rather: Clothing Choices

December 11th, 2022

5:51

If you peek in our closets, will you find quality or quantity? Flats or heels? Navy or black? Mentioned: Sherry from Young House Love and her minimalist wardrobe [https://www.younghouselove.com/minimal-closet-wardrobe/].

Second-Listen Saturday: Emergency Contact Forms

December 10th, 2022

12:09

It's another paperwork complaint: Choosing an emergency contact person to list on various and sundry forms. Turns out it's even harder to select that person when they'd have to be responsible for our pets. Mentioned: …

Roundabout Roundup: American Airlines, Garnier Fructis Curl Refresher Spray, and Coach Lisle on Instagram

December 9th, 2022

7:26

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole's shouting out a new-to-her airline, American, after a smooth and as-comfortable-as-possible cross-country …

Hard Habits to Take

December 7th, 2022

18:28

A complaint session on bad habits quickly became a discussion about how to handle flatulence in public (specifically, in church): Hold it in, or let …

What We’re Watching: "The People We Hate at the Wedding" and Brothers and Sisters “Date Night”

December 6th, 2022

25:30

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we caved to the relentless promotion of the movie The People We Hate at the Wedding (Amazon Prime), mostly because we have a big soft spot for Allison Janney, Kristen Bell, …

Shouting Out Our Kids’ Skills

December 5th, 2022

13:24

We're not taking credit, but sometimes our kids really impress us with their skills and strengths, from book smarts to memory and recall to coordination and creativity.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if …

Speed-Round Sunday: What Is Your Ideal Ice Cream Sundae?

December 4th, 2022

6:18

Our discussion of sundae toppings leads Terri on a walk down SoCal memory lane.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at

Second-Listen Saturday: Kids and Concerts

December 3rd, 2022

14:09

​Our kids aren't obsessed with the K-pop boy band BTS, but Terri went to the concert anyway—twice! And that got us talking about our kids' concert experiences, and our own.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime …

Roundabout Roundup: Walker Hayes “Face in the Crowd,” Quik Cart Rolling Crate, and Big Time Adulting

December 2nd, 2022

7:03

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri's Walker Hayes Minute returns with a recommendation for Hayes's new song "Face in the Crowd" (and its video [

How Influential Are We?

December 1st, 2022

14:22

Watching Dancing with the Stars has brought Terri and Catherine into the world of pro dancers who also work as influencers. That led us to obsess …

Playdate Documentation

November 30th, 2022

12:43

An article in the Wall Street Journal about a trend in playdates [

What We're Watching: Spirited and Brothers and Sisters “Family Portrait”

November 29th, 2022

28:18

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we stepped into the holiday season with the Apple TV+ original movie, Spirited, starring Ryan Reynolds, …

Teaching Conversation Skills

November 28th, 2022

16:34

An Instagram post from the University of British Columbia [https://www.instagram.com/p/ClBsgVMtxrw/] got us talking about social and conversation …

Second-Listen Saturday: Disgusting Things We Do for Our Dogs

November 26th, 2022

11:41

Today's episode is not for the weak of stomach. Skip this one if you don't want to join us in recalling and complaining about all the disgusting ways we've had to show love and care for our dogs.

This show is part of the …

Leftovers Week: Holiday Shopping Setbacks

November 25th, 2022

14:28

Today, to finish up our Thanksgiving Leftovers week, we’re forking over an episode from last December on holiday shopping in a time of supply-chain …

Leftovers Week: Changing Family Traditions

November 24th, 2022

11:41

Today we’re filling your plate with an episode from July 2019 that, well, starts with the 4th of July, but it gets to today’s holiday too. Wait for …

Leftovers Week: Holiday Traditions We Can Live Without

November 23rd, 2022

15:07

Today, for our Thanksgiving leftovers week, we are serving up an episode from December 2020 about holiday traditions we were … surprisingly not upset …

DWTS Season 31 Finale and Brothers and Sisters “Affairs of State”

November 22nd, 2022

41:33

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Dancing with the Stars gave us the winner who'd seemed inevitable from day 1, but who still managed to win us over in the end: Charli D'Amelio. Overall, the move to Disney+ …

Leftovers Week: Thank You for Co-Parenting

November 21st, 2022

14:19

This week, we’re serving up some delicious holiday leftovers for your enjoyment. In this episode from November 2019, we kicked off a week of …

Speed-Round Sunday: Who Loses Things at Your House?

November 20th, 2022

5:00

Which of us are the losers in our households, and which the finders?

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in …

Second-Listen Saturday: What Robots Could Do for Us

November 19th, 2022

13:50

After Nicole encountered a room-service delivery robot in Las Vegas, we talked about the many handy household uses we would have for robot technology.

Roundabout Roundup: Automatic Pet Feeder, Zkano Socks, and the Common App

November 18th, 2022

10:50

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole is back with another handy pet product: an automated feeding dish for her cats [

Family Favorites

November 17th, 2022

15:46

Nicole challenged us to name some of our family favorites, which proved to be a little challenging. But we did come up with some vacation spots, …

What Moms Can See

November 16th, 2022

11:52

An article from Raising Teens Today [https://raisingteenstoday.com/things-moms-see-that-no-one-else-sees/] got us complaining about all those things moms' magic eyes can see that are somehow invisible to kids (and, …

What We’re Watching: DWTS Semi-Finals and Brothers and Sisters “An Act of Will”

November 15th, 2022

37:35

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we shimmied into the Dancing with the Stars semi-finals, and to a pretty predictable final four: Shangela, Wayne Brady, Gabby Windey, and Charli D'Amelio. Even though we are …

Unnatural Consequences

November 14th, 2022

13:09

The idea of using natural consequences [https://www.positivediscipline.com/articles/natural-consequences] to help kids learn is so good! So smart! So... hard to actually put into practice, when you really think about it.

Speed Round Sunday: What's On Your Fridge?

November 13th, 2022

5:20

We've talked about what's inside our refrigerators before [https://www.spreaker.com/episode/18922813]. Now, we want to know what's stuck to the outside.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Second-Listen Saturday: Finding the Will to Write Our Wills

November 12th, 2022

11:24

​If you're a parent, it's likely you've obsessed over this topic at some point: Writing a will, setting up a trust, creating an upon-my-demise plan. …

Roundabout Roundup: Costco Macarons, Charlie Berens, and Productivity Challenge Timer

November 11th, 2022

8:51

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine alerts you to Costco's macarons, which come in seasonal flavors [

Essential Travel Items

November 10th, 2022

15:44

After learning that King Charles always travels with his childhood teddy bear and his personal toilet seat [https://jezebel.com/king-charles-wont-go-anywhere-without-his-teddy-bear-an-1849740365], we obsessed over what …

Just Do It Already

November 9th, 2022

13:15

On today's episode, we complain about being the keeper of the to-do list for everyone in our family, and the only one with any sense of urgency about just checking these tasks off, PLEASE!

This show is part of the …

What We’re Watching: DWTS 90s Night and Brothers and Sisters “Patriarchy”

November 8th, 2022

34:47

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, the Dancing with the Stars producers got Terri to feel sorry for Heidi right before she was sent packing, along with perennial good-sport Vinny. We'll miss you, man. Next: …

Old-Timey Technology

November 7th, 2022

15:42

Nicole gave up her landline phones, which got us talking about what tech our households are hanging on to and what we're giving up (and which one of …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do Your Kids Have a Curfew?

November 6th, 2022

5:42

What time do your kids turn into pumpkins, and who makes the rules? (Turns out, it's not always the parents.)

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime …

Roundabout Roundup: Cacao Tea, Cats of San Bernardino, and a Clothing Hack

November 4th, 2022

8:28

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri suggests cacao tea (she gets hers from Gold River Trading Co. [https://goldriverco.com/collections/cacao]) …

When Mom Is the Voice of Reason

November 3rd, 2022

14:33

Today we're obsessing about all those occasions where (mostly) moms have to step in and crush dreams, just because they are living in the real world. Is that fair?

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you …

It’s the Little Things

November 2nd, 2022

15:04

Today we're complaining about little things that refuse to work and trip us up, from mayonnaise packets to electrical outlets to tiny plastic doodads in the dishwasher.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if …

What We’re Watching: DWTS Halloween Night and Rutherford Falls “Election”

November 1st, 2022

41:44

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, the common thread is "we hated the ending." On Dancing with the Stars, the judges saved the annoying …

Signs of Senior-Parent-Itis

October 31st, 2022

15:20

While Catherine says her son is not allowed to have senioritis, apparently she can have it for him. But when a kid can't coast through his senior year, his parents really can't either.

This show is part of the Spreaker …

Speed Round Sunday: Would You Rather: Summer Foods vs. Fall Foods

October 30th, 2022

9:43

Summer offers delicious food and drink, but then again, so does fall. Don't make us choose!

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at

Second-Listen Saturday: Connecting with Kids (or Trying To)

October 29th, 2022

11:35

A post on the Today show site [https://community.today.com/post/5-easy-ways-to-build-your-relationship-with-your-teenager] got us talking today. It's about "easy" (red flag!) ways to build your relationship with your …

Roundabout Roundup: Columbia Panorama Jacket, Mustache Munchies, and Taylor Swift’s "Midnights"

October 28th, 2022

9:26

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole treated herself to a cozy fleece from Columbia [

What Is Your Self-Care Love Language?

October 27th, 2022

13:00

An Instagram post from the Just Girl Project [https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjst166rqn0/] got us obsessing about self-care, the 5 love languages, and what happens when you mash them up together. Let's just say that some …

New Types of Parents

October 26th, 2022

11:09

The fill-in-the-blank (helicopter, tiger, lawnmower) parent genre [https://www.parentingroundaboutpodcast.com/blog/episode-235-beyond-tiger-moms-and-helicopter-parents] is rich for revisiting, and complaining about, …

What We’re Watching: DWTS Michael Bublé Night and Rutherford Falls “Firefighters Pancake Breakfast”

October 25th, 2022

34:55

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, foxtrots abounded on Dancing with the Stars, Michael Bublé proved to be a charming judge, and Vinny climbed up out of the bottom two (no doubt thanks to Terri's votes). Next …

Holiday Role Reversal

October 24th, 2022

14:02

When Nicole got the chance to be her son's guest for Christmas instead of hosting the holiday herself, she jumped on it (maybe too quickly?). That …

Speed-Round Sunday: What Are You Watching on TV?

October 23rd, 2022

7:14

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past (in this case, September 2018) for your weekend listening pleasure.

Since Nicole doesn't …

Second-Listen Saturday: Travel Trouble

October 22nd, 2022

12:11

On today's episode, we obsess about online travel booking. Instead of being convenient, we find it's usually far more trouble than it's worth. Cross your fingers that Terri's family isn't sleeping in the car on their …

Roundabout Roundup: HARDY, Blundstone Boots, and Delta + Starbucks

October 21st, 2022

8:23

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri's rocking out to HARDY's latest, The Mockingbird and the Crow [

Invitation Instructions

October 20th, 2022

13:16

Terri doesn't go out much, and it might be because she keeps getting invitations filled with befuddling suggestions for gift-giving.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising …

What We’re Watching: DWTS Season 31 Two-Nighter and Rutherford Falls “Halloween”

October 19th, 2022

41:03

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we're coming to you a day late because Dancing with the Stars felt we needed double the amount of dancing this week: First, Most Memorable Year, capped off by the sad …

Are You an Almond Mom?

October 18th, 2022

17:55

It's a hot topic on TikTok: Are you an almond mom [https://www.self.com/story/almond-mom], or did you grow up with one? Today we complain about these …

Talking to Strangers

October 17th, 2022

15:05

We debate the best response to friendly children who volunteer personal information. Is polite chit-chat cute, or creepy?

This show is part of the …

Speed-Round Sunday: Who's Buying?

October 16th, 2022

6:07

If you take us out to lunch, we will gladly pay our share and maybe even yours too. (Just please, take us out to lunch!)

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this …

Second-Listen Saturday: Breaking Point

October 15th, 2022

11:32

Our kids are in the hot seat on complaint day again this week. This time it's because they have a bad habit of breaking our stuff... until we admit that we're pretty good at breaking our own stuff.

This show is part of …

Roundabout Roundup: Little Free Libraries, Waze, and Pumpkin Treats

October 14th, 2022

9:04

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine has a two-fer: the book The Lincoln Highway [

Kids’ Food Experiences

October 13th, 2022

13:42

On the one hand, we're nostalgic about all the tasty home-made foods that we got and our kids didn't. On the other hand, they've had many more opportunities to try cuisines from around the world--and vegetables that …

What We’re Watching: DWTS Season 31 Disney+ Night and Rutherford Falls “Adirondack S3”

October 11th, 2022

23:51

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: It was Disney+ Night on Dancing with the Stars, which meant varying degrees of commitment to costumes from Disney properties: Alan unrecognizable as a zombie (Hocus Pocus 2), …

Future Planning for Young Adults

October 10th, 2022

15:51

Nicole's daughter is in her last year of university, and Catherine's is right behind her. We've barely had time to digest the Big Life Decisions they …

Speed-Round Sunday: What Emoji Do You Use the Most?

October 9th, 2022

7:02

Back in 2016, we shared our most frequently used emojis [https://www.spreaker.com/episode/18922749]. Then we revisited the topic two years later.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in …

Second-Listen Saturday: Screen Believers

October 8th, 2022

12:33

The World Health Organization recently issued screen-time guidelines for kids: No screens at all for babies under a year old, and one hour a day max …

Roundabout Roundup: Dutch Bros Coffee, Crowd Sort, and the Not-So-Great Defector Bake-Off

October 7th, 2022

8:58

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole shouts out a West Coast coffee chain called Dutch Bros [https://www.dutchbros.com/] that's a fun Starbucks …

Apple Watch Features for Parents?

October 6th, 2022

11:57

The Apple Watch has some pretty fancy features [https://support.apple.com/guide/watch/whats-new-apdb93ea3872/watchos], but we have some suggestions …

Senior-Year Stresses

October 5th, 2022

20:40

We reviewed Grown and Flown's list of 5 things not to get stressed about during senior year [https://grownandflown.com/kid-senior-5-things-not-stressed-about/], which is the current situation for Catherine and in the …

What We’re Watching: DWTS Season 31 James Bond Night and Rutherford Falls “Land Back”

October 4th, 2022

30:09

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Dancing with the Stars felt the need for a James Bond-themed evening, which meant nothing but slow rumbas and the occasional tango (and poor Jessie James Decker dipped in …

Pumpkin Season

October 3rd, 2022

12:45

It's sweater-weather, fall-foliage, pumpkin-patch season ... at least for two of us. Nicole is nostalgic for Canadian autumns from her home in the …

Speed-Round Sunday: Baby and Little Kid Stuff You've Saved

October 2nd, 2022

5:39

Turns out we're better at passing along clothes, toys, and baby gear than we are at tossing birthday cards (with a few special exceptions, of course).

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Second-Listen Saturday: Life Lessons, Unlearned

October 1st, 2022

12:50

In the complaint department today: We try and try to teach our kids basic life skills, like laundry and cooking. And yet (some of) them just don't seem to get it. We'd like our appliances to step up and share some of …

Roundabout Roundup: Jet Lag: The Game, Rover, and Brothers and Sisters

September 30th, 2022

11:00

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine's been enjoying the YouTube series Jet Lag: The Game [https://www.youtube.com/c/jetlagthegame] with her …

Personal Grooming Practices

September 29th, 2022

13:06

Terri was surprised to learn that her husband carries a comb to touch up his 'do while he's at work, which got her (and us) obsessing over how much personal grooming we do in public. Or in private, for that matter.

This …

Lines of Communication

September 28th, 2022

16:32

Whether our kids are at home or away, there are challenges (and some victories) when it comes to staying in communication with them.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising …

What We’re Watching: DWTS Season 31 Elvis Night and Rutherford Falls “Aunt Sue”

September 27th, 2022

31:43

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Dancing with the Stars suggested we learn a whole lot about the life of Elvis and about how bad many …

Growing a Growth Mindset

September 26th, 2022

15:19

Having a growth mindset [https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/] can be a pathway to success for kids (and adults). But sometimes a parent's idea of …

Speed-Round Sunday: What Kind of Playlist Do You Need?

September 25th, 2022

5:20

Forget the running playlist, the breakup playlist, and the poolside playlist. We have some other ideas for songs to live by.

This show is part of the …

Second-Listen Saturday: Small Change

September 24th, 2022

9:57

​A New York Times letter-writer prompted today's chat when she wrote: "It is my belief that children often have more of an impact on changing their …

Roundabout Roundup: The Big Chill, Snugens Cat Condo, and Florida Woman

September 23rd, 2022

9:58

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri recommends a trip down memory lane with The Big Chill on HBO Max [

Fashion Police

September 22nd, 2022

15:39

We borrow once again from the Bobby Bones Show [https://bobbybones.iheart.com/] to obsess about whether 12-year-olds should wear thongs or cut their …

The Parenting Challenge

September 21st, 2022

13:52

On this week's Round 3, it's our version of the TikTok #parentingchallenge. Between us and our spouses, who's stricter, funnier, neater, more outgoing? It's a new twist on complaining about our partners--gently!

This …

What We’re Watching: DWTS Season 31 Premiere and Rutherford Falls “The New Curator”

September 20th, 2022

29:09

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, it's back to the ballroom for a new season of Dancing With the Stars. The show is now streaming on Disney+, so you've got to pony up for that service if you want to watch. …

Hero Worship

September 19th, 2022

10:33

Here's a lesson learned: Don't ask your kids who their heroes are unless you are prepared for their answer. But we also acknowledge that life off of the pedestal is pretty comfortable.

This show is part of the Spreaker …

Speed-Round Sunday: The Last Photo You Took

September 18th, 2022

5:58

It's time to return to the urgent question of most recent photos on our phones [https://www.spreaker.com/episode/18922795], and this crop is more exciting than last time: A memorable souvenir, a nimbler-than-expected …

Second-Listen Saturday: Trade-In Values

September 17th, 2022

13:55

Target's car-seat trade-in event [https://corporate.target.com/corporate-responsibility/planet/sustainable-products/car-seat-trade-in] is happening now (NOTE: This is a replay, but the event really is happening now, …

Roundabout Roundup: House of the Dragon, Kitty’s Morning Glories, and Reading for Our Lives

September 16th, 2022

6:52

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole is into the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon [https://www.hbo.com/house-of-the-dragon]. …

Are You a Gentle Parent?

September 15th, 2022

15:01

Parenting TikTok is all about #gentleparenting, so we had to obsess over it for awhile. Nicole's all for it, Terri has doubts, and Catherine mostly …

Ants in the Pantry

September 14th, 2022

12:38

While Nicole was away, Catherine and Terri alternated home and appliance annoyances [

What We're Watching: Rutherford Falls "White Man in the Cupboard" and DWTS "Pros' Most Memorable Dances"

September 13th, 2022

35:07

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: We kick off season 2 of Rutherford Falls (the final season, as it turns out). The titular "white man" …

Back-to-School Fashion Trends

September 12th, 2022

13:05

We've been checking all those first day of school photos, and that led us to reminisce about back-to-school shopping--with our own moms, and with our …

Speed-Round Sunday: What Kid Activities Did You Enjoy Most?

September 11th, 2022

5:42

Not all of our children's activities are exactly fun for us, but there are those things that became as much a part of our social life as our kids'. On today's Speed Round, we give a cheer for team sports and marching …

Second-Listen Saturday: Dental Dilemmas

September 10th, 2022

14:04

After ignoring it for years, we suddenly started to wonder if dental insurance is a must or a maybe. Our complaint: The math (surprise!) is complicated, at least here in the USA (mentioned: Oscar insurance [

Roundabout Roundup: Apple Watch, Flying Solo, and Speaking_of_Cats on TikTok

September 9th, 2022

10:48

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri's recommending something that might be tough to replicate: Getting a hand-me-down Apple Watch [

Not a Regular Mom, a Fringe Mom

September 8th, 2022

11:00

A TikTok video about "fringe moms" [https://www.tiktok.com/@shinebeautymalibu/video/7137885808840805674] got us obsessing about whether we were …

High Degree of Difficulty

September 7th, 2022

18:09

On this week's Round 3, Catherine is complaining about the extra hurdles her kid needs to jump through to get into college--like this process wasn't …

What We’re Watching: Rutherford Falls “Stoodis” and “D’Angelos”

September 6th, 2022

18:27

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we wrapped up season one of Rutherford Falls with episode 9, "Stoodis," and episode 10, "D'Angelos." These were an improvement over episode 8, although they returned to the …

Tasty or Terrible?

September 5th, 2022

17:45

Terri's decades-long grudge against egg salad was recently tested when her son ordered an egg-salad sandwich... at an establishment known only for …

Speed-Round Sunday: Senior Pictures

September 4th, 2022

8:24

In our day, senior photos involved slapping on some sort of drape-like thing and smiling pretty. Now, there are whole photo shoots, with props and …

Roundabout Roundup: Mean Girls, Alone, and Lyle Lovett’s 12th of June

September 2nd, 2022

10:00

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, entertainment three ways: Catherine's recommending the Broadway musical Mean Girls (based on the 2004 movie) [

Can Moms Quiet Quit?

September 1st, 2022

12:40

"Quiet quitting" is a current buzzword, so we obsessed over how it would work in our homes instead of the workplace. Would anyone even notice?

This …

When Kids Share Too Much

August 31st, 2022

11:42

Yes, we want open communication with our kids, but sometimes we need to put our hands over our ears and say "TMI!" So today we're complaining about knowing a bit more than we care to about what's happening in our kids' …

What We’re Watching: Only Murders in the Building “I Know Who Did It” and Rutherford Falls “Skoden”

August 30th, 2022

28:06

On this week's entertainment-themed episode, the season finale of Only Murders in the Building pulls off a triple-switcheroo killer reveal. While you …

Parents and the College Application Process

August 29th, 2022

14:22

A Washington Post article titled “College admissions are stressful enough. Parents, don’t make it worse” [

Speed-Round Sunday: The Doctor Will See You Eventually

August 28th, 2022

8:36

Doctors whose office is closed when you're sick. Orthodontists who don't keep kid hours. What we wish phone physicians could do. Yep, we've got a few …

Second-Listen Saturday: Why We Love Our Kids' Obsessions

August 27th, 2022

9:35

A kid's obsession can build self-esteem, lead to a career, or help you communicate when nothing else works. So what's not to love? After all, as …

Roundabout Roundup: @Dogs on Instagram and Ugliest House in America

August 26th, 2022

7:50

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, the Instagram Minute is back once again, with a guest recommendation from Terri's daughter: @Dogs [https://www.instagram.com/dogs/], and specifically this video of two puppers spying …

The Last Back-to-School Season

August 25th, 2022

14:57

The first day of Catherine's son's senior year is looming. Send thoughts, prayers, good vibes, and maybe some chocolate. She's going to need help.

Revisiting the Joys of Homeownership

August 24th, 2022

15:32

Just last week, a mere 7 days ago, Terri had a problem with her garage door opener [https://www.parentingroundaboutpodcast.com/blog/the-joys-of-homeownership] and Catherine's basement was about to get torn up for a new …

What We’re Watching: Only Murders in the Building “Sparring Partners” and Rutherford Falls “Rutherford, Inc.”

August 23rd, 2022

19:43

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we're coming to the end of season 2 of Only Murders in the Building, which means lots of twist and turns …

Spending Priorities

August 22nd, 2022

14:48

We once again steal a question from Follow the Herd, and talk about how we'd spend a $10,000 windfall. Travel agents and cheap contractors, help us …

Speed-Round Sunday: Favorite Book Series

August 21st, 2022

4:59

Nicole's favorite TV series has let her down this season, so she's picked a book series as her fave, and Catherine and Terri followed suit. Our …

Second-Listen Saturday: Doing Our Homework

August 20th, 2022

12:09

This post on the "burden of parent homework" [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/27/well/family/the-burden-of-parent-homework.html] was the perfect prompt for our weekly complaint session. No thank you to homework for …

Roundabout Roundup: Knuckle Bump Farms and Licorice Pizza

August 19th, 2022

10:32

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine takes over Nicole's Instagram Minute to recommend Knuckle Bump Farms [

Seeking Sponsorships

August 18th, 2022

14:00

What with all the Hollywood folks and social media influencers securing sponsorships for their life events, we obsessed about how we could get in on …

The Joys of Homeownership

August 17th, 2022

14:44

It's time for another round of "All the things in our homes that are broken right now," with big fat disclaimers about how grateful we are for the …

What We’re Watching: Only Murders in the Building “Hello, Darkness” and Rutherford Falls “Negotiations”

August 16th, 2022

17:43

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, miscellaneous clues are scattering like glitter or cat hair on Only Murders in the Building. We suspect …

Pride and Parenting

August 15th, 2022

12:55

In response to this viral video of a moment of sportsmanship from a Little League game [

Speed-Round Sunday: Pet Patrol

August 14th, 2022

5:37

Loud bark-y dogs, stealth hedgehogs, attack ants, and black pooches playing speed bump in the dark are on the job of defending our homes. Play it safe—stay away!

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you …

Roundabout Roundup: Blackout Coffee Co. Flavored Coffee of the Month Club and Aura Bora Sparkling Water

August 12th, 2022

6:59

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, we are here for your flavored beverage needs. Terri's shouting out the Flavored Coffee of the Month Club [

What Is a Good Job Worth?

August 11th, 2022

10:27

Inspired by a Follow the Herd question [https://www.followtheherd.org/game/], we ask: Would you rather have a job you love for $75,000 a year, or a …

Can Personality Be Plagiarized?

August 10th, 2022

12:48

A few months ago, the No Stupid Questions podcast did an episode about whether it's okay to copy aspects of other people's personality, titled "Do You Mind If I Borrow Your Personality?" [

What We’re Watching: Only Murders in the Building “Flipping the Pieces” and Rutherford Falls “History Fair”

August 9th, 2022

18:16

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: It was another rough week for Mabel on Only Murders in the Building as she unlocked some traumatic memories with the help of Theo Dimas (even though he only caught about a …

The Cure for Baby Fever

August 8th, 2022

12:34

Every once in a while, we get a little nostalgic and wistful and think about how sweet it would be to have a baby around... or a baby dog. And then …

Speed-Round Sunday: What Age Is Best?

August 7th, 2022

5:55

In a question that proved almost too hypothetical to answer, we try to determine what age we'd like to remain forever and ever. Two of us are going for 30, and the other one can't quite commit.​​

This show is part of the …

Second-Listen Saturday: College Sticker Shock

August 6th, 2022

13:49

First we were obsessed with the college application process [

Roundabout Roundup: Beats Studio Buds, Song Quiz, Return to Me, and a 5-Minute Workout

August 5th, 2022

8:29

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, our guest Audra shouts out Beats Studio Buds and by extension, Bluetooth and audiobooks. Audra's podcast partner Hadassa is a fan of Song Quiz, which you can play on an Alexa device. …

Real-World Dating App Advice

August 4th, 2022

16:52

Terri's daughter is trying out some dating apps, and Terri has zero experience in this area (not that that stops her from obsessing about it). Luckily, guests Audra and Hadassa do have experience, both personal and …

What’s Keeping You Up At Night?

August 3rd, 2022

12:46

Guests Audra and Hadassa (from the A Bit Above podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-bit-above/id1548787190]) join us in complaining about everything that interrupts our sleep, from kids to pets to …

What We’re Watching: Only Murders in the Building “Performance Review” and Rutherford Falls “Terry Thomas”

August 2nd, 2022

20:58

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, it's a terrible, no-good, very bad week for poor Mabel on Only Murders in the Building, and Terri has a theory about the questioned paternity of Oliver's son. Next week: …

Podcast Life, With Special Guests

August 1st, 2022

11:56

With Nicole away for the time being, we decided to bring in some help: Audra and Hadassa from the A Bit Above podcast [

Speed-Round Sunday: Local Beauty

July 31st, 2022

5:47

We look at the pretty places near our homes, from a New York City skyline view to the California beaches--with a stop in the Midwest for historic homes and ice shanties.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, …

Second-Listen Saturday: Say No to Naysaying

July 30th, 2022

9:51

Today, we complain about people who doubt our kids' abilities. And then we complain about ourselves for caring so much about proving them wrong.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in …

Roundabout Roundup: Walker Hayes “Y’all Life” and Julia on HBO

July 29th, 2022

6:49

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, we are here to entertain you with a song and a show. First up, the most recent single from Walker Hayes, "Y'all Life," is a catchy ode to life in the south, complete with cute video [

Talking to Kids About Risk-Taking

July 28th, 2022

16:12

It's kind of a chicken-and-egg problem: How much do you warn kids about risky behavior, and how much do you worry that warnings are actually invitations?

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Shared Responsibility for Projects

July 27th, 2022

13:43

Catherine's wondering how much responsibility she has for helping her husband with projects around the house that he initiates, and whether he is then responsible for caring for her after she initiates a project like a …

What We’re Watching: Only Murders in the Building “The Tell” and Rutherford Falls “Aunt Ida’s 90th Birthday”

July 26th, 2022

20:49

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Only Murders in the Building's "The Tell" brings us Chekhov's DNA test kit, and with it, SECRETS! So …

Saboteurs in Our Midst

July 25th, 2022

10:22

Bobby Bones is hosting a new reality show called Snake in the Grass [https://parade.com/1400310/mikebloom/snake-in-the-grass-season-1/], debuting next Monday on USA, in which a group of people tries to complete …

Speed-Round Sunday: What's on Your Coffee Table?

July 24th, 2022

6:43

If you think we live in pristine houses with immaculate furnishings and tables accented just so ... you haven't listened to this podcast before, have …

Second-Listen Saturday: Who's Sorry Now?

July 23rd, 2022

10:34

On Round 1 this week, we're talking about apologies. It's not so simple to help our kids learn when and how to say "sorry" [

Roundabout Roundup: RipSkirt Wrap Skirt and Old Navy PowerLite Tank Top

July 22nd, 2022

8:44

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri was once again Facebook-influenced to make a purchase: A Velcro-closure wrap skirt from RipSkirt that's breezy and comfy and only clingy in the laundry [

5 Ways to Annoy Teens and Young Adults

July 21st, 2022

17:15

Last week, we obsessed over an article from Grown & Flown called "10 Ways This Mom Has Stopped Annoying Her Teens" [https://grownandflown.com/ten-ways-mom-stopped-annoying-teens/]. One episode [

Parent-Child Road Trips

July 20th, 2022

15:39

When you hear this, Catherine will be in the midst of a 3-state college tour with her son, so spare a few thoughts for her safety and sanity. How do …

What We’re Watching: Only Murders in the Building “Here’s Looking at You” and Rutherford Falls “Buckhead Lodge”

July 19th, 2022

18:14

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we have new characters being introduced and old characters returning. Pretty soon the Arconia will need …

Family Purchasing Decisions

July 18th, 2022

13:26

Terri's family recently needed to buy a car, and since her son had Big Opinions about what to get, he did the research and his parents followed his …

Speed-Round Sunday: Stressful Slang

July 17th, 2022

10:10

Nicole's enjoying #Australian slang, Catherine's not enjoying being called "extra," and Terri just wishes people would stop making language harder. …

Second-Listen Saturday: The College Pressure Cooker

July 16th, 2022

14:53

​We're still obsessing about college over here, because Nicole's daughter is in the thick of decision time and Catherine's is not far behind. How can …

Roundabout Roundup: WW Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream Bars and HumanCentric Treadmill Desk Attachment

July 15th, 2022

9:46

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri has a tasty, low-guilt treat to recommend for your evening snacking needs: WW Snack Size Chocolate Fudge Ice …

Choosing Your Parenting Battles

July 14th, 2022

16:55

Today, we're obsessing over an article from Grown & Flown called "10 Ways This Mom Has Stopped Annoying Her Teens" [https://grownandflown.com/ten-ways-mom-stopped-annoying-teens/]. In fact, we're so obsessed with it …

Marriage Stories

July 13th, 2022

13:46

In honor of Terri's 32nd wedding anniversary, we paused our usual weekly complaining to chat about some of what she's learned in those three decades. …

What We’re Watching: Only Murders in the Building “The Last Day of Bunny Folger” and Rutherford Falls “Pilot”

July 12th, 2022

21:57

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Only Murders in the Building gives us a deep dive into murder victim Bunny Folger, making her much more …

An Unsolved Mystery

July 11th, 2022

14:52

We take a break from our usual parenting talk to discuss a real-life unexplained event. Listen and then tell us if you have a theory about the ghost that's clearly haunting Catherine's house. Mentioned: Rob Lowe and …

Speed-Round Sunday: Busted Air-Conditioning Blues

July 10th, 2022

9:05

While Terri waits for her central air to be repaired, she's collecting tips on how to hack some chill, or just general gripes about the difficulty of …

Second-Listen Saturday: Give Them Some Credit

July 9th, 2022

11:10

We complain about a kid being rejected for a credit card (come on, Kohl's! Otherwise, we love you!) and discuss how and when they should start …

Roundabout Roundup: Gold River Trading Co. Chamomile Tea and the Normal Gossip Podcast

July 8th, 2022

6:29

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, we're all about the tea. Terri's drinking a delicious chamomile blend from Gold River Trading Company [

Are You a Yes Parent or a No Parent?

July 7th, 2022

11:41

A British outdoor education company created a calculator that lets you determine how many times you'll say "No" to your kids by the time they turn 16 …

The Family IT Guy

July 6th, 2022

11:37

Terri spotted an article titled "Dads are often IT guys when couples divide chores" [https://www.wsj.com/articles/dads-are-often-it-guys-when-couples-divide-chores-11655520474], and she laughed, then cried, then …

What We’re Watching: Only Murders in the Building “Persons of Interest” and “Framed”

July 5th, 2022

15:17

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Only Murders in the Building is back for season 2, and we're in. We have to show solidarity with our …

Opting Out of Holidays

July 4th, 2022

13:49

On this Independence Day, we talk about declaring our independence from holiday rituals and traditions that don't work for our families. Like, you …

Speed-Round Sunday: Would You Rather: New Entertainment or Old Favorites?

July 3rd, 2022

6:43

Catherine and Terri ponder whether they prefer trying out new TV, movies, and books or revisiting beloved favorites. Doesn't help that it's never …

Second-Listen Saturday: On the Campaign Trail

July 2nd, 2022

10:46

Thanks to this roundup of campaign slogans from moms [https://wokesloth.com/mom-campaign-slogans/masha/], we brainstormed our own (Nicole had a …

Roundabout Roundup: Shout Color Catchers and Stanley the Dog: The First Day of School

July 1st, 2022

5:11

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine shouts out Shout--specifically, Shout Color Catchers [

Objects of Sentimentality

June 30th, 2022

10:52

Terri's family recently said a sad goodbye to their 21-year-old Jeep. Yet they shed nary a tear over the loss of a similarly dependable and …

Delegation Dangers

June 29th, 2022

10:25

Wall Street Journal columnist Julie Jargon reeled us right in with a story titled "Moms are struggling with burnout. Is it more work to let dads …

What We’re Watching: Girls5Eva “Returnity” and “Tour Mode”

June 28th, 2022

13:42

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: Girls5Eva season 2 ends with a knock-down, drag-out fight between two unlikely characters, and it's a …

Events Worthy of a Photo Shoot

June 27th, 2022

14:00

Dancing With the Stars pro Sharna Burgess recently did a sexy maternity photo shoot [https://www.today.com/parents/parents/brian-austin-green-sharna-burgess-maternity-shoot-rcna31473], so that got us talking about …

Speed-Round Sunday: What Would Your Dream Mall Have?

June 26th, 2022

6:43

Nicole brought to our attention an article about American Dream Miami [

Second-Listen Saturday: Calling Out Our Husbands' Habits

June 25th, 2022

11:30

Today, true confessions about obsessions: Not ours, but those of our husbands. Catherine's and Nicole's partners are kindred spirits with a similar …

Roundabout Roundup: Glad You’re Here, Death on the Nile, and House of Gucci

June 24th, 2022

10:41

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine reviews two airplane-watch-quality movies: Death on the Nile and House of Gucci (mostly, she's just proud to have watched two relatively new movies). Terri shouts out Glad …

Life Updated: Retirement Planning

June 23rd, 2022

18:23

Nicole is away this week, and Catherine and Terri are feeling the effects of having been away (read: a ton of extra work). So this week, we're …

Life Updated: The Work-Life Seesaw

June 22nd, 2022

20:34

Nicole is away this week, and Catherine and Terri are feeling the effects of having been away (read: a ton of extra work). So this week, we're …

What We’re Watching: Girls5Eva “Leave a Message If You Love Me” and “B.P.E.”

June 21st, 2022

10:19

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we're into the second half of Girls5Eva season 2, and the girls are busy working on their album. Also getting questionable cosmetic procedures, pursuing questionable theories …

Life Updated: The World of Work

June 20th, 2022

31:34

Nicole is away this week, and Catherine and Terri are feeling the effects of having been away (read: a ton of extra work). So this week, we're …

Speed-Round Sunday: What Cast or Actor Would You Like to Hang Out With for a Day?

June 19th, 2022

4:16

We can't really enter the imaginary worlds of our favorite movies, TV shows, and plays, but we could theoretically hang with the folks who make them …

Second-Listen Saturday: 14 Ways to Ruin Your Kids' Lives

June 18th, 2022

11:36

Inspired by cartoonist Annie Kurzweg [https://www.instagram.com/anniegetyourgum/], we confess all the terrible things we do to torment our children: Looking at them! Looking at their phones! Speaking to them in front of …

Roundabout Roundup: ChomChom Pet Hair Remover, @UpsideDownandCute, and Downton Abbey: A New Era

June 17th, 2022

9:04

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole shouts out an effective, easy-to-use essential: The ChomChom pet hair remover [

Teacher Gift Questions

June 16th, 2022

12:30

After the crew on the Bobby Bones Show discussed the appropriateness of wine as a teacher gift [https://overcast.fm/+5VzIbx_Ys/4:12], we also obsessed about what we've given (and received).

This show is part of the …

Self-Promotion Struggles

June 15th, 2022

15:59

After reading about a study showing that women aren't as good at promoting themselves as men are [https://characterlab.org/tips-of-the-week/how-did-you-do/], we complained about the modern need to promote yourself in …

What We’re Watching: Girls5Eva “Who U Know” and “Can’t Wait 2 Wait”

June 14th, 2022

15:12

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, episodes 3 and 4 of Girls5Eva bring us more silliness as the girls finagle their way into a rap video and Summer must resist her parents' call for her to take a purity pledge …

We’ll Miss You, Missy

June 13th, 2022

12:51

Nicole's dog, Missy, passed away recently. Since she's been a presence on the podcast over the years, today's episode is all about Missy and her …

Speed-Round Sunday: Have You Ever Dug Something Out of the Garbage and Eaten It?

June 12th, 2022

6:28

So someone throws, say, a PERFECTLY GOOD banana muffin into the trash, one you had planned to eat for breakfast, and it's in a SEALED BAG, and it's in the kitchen trash that got emptied not THAT long ago, and you can …

Second-Listen Saturday: Name That Mom Phrase

June 11th, 2022

9:04

​A Buzzfeed article obsessing about mom catchphrases [https://www.buzzfeed.com/alliehayes/reddit-moms-funny-catchphrases] naturally led us to do the same. At least one of us has upped her game by adding Broadway show …

Summer Sampler: If Airlines Had Family Class

June 10th, 2022

14:07

We're off this week, but bringing you some past discussions on summer-y topics to kick off the season. This one comes from June 2019.

​Hey, airlines: …

Summer Sampler: Packing Our Bags for Mom Camp

June 9th, 2022

11:03

We're off this week, but bringing you some past discussions on summer-y topics to kick off the season. This one comes from July 2021.

After a recent …

Summer Sampler: 18 Summers

June 8th, 2022

11:02

We're off this week, but bringing you some past discussions on summer-y topics to kick off the season. This one comes from July 2019.

After reading …

What We’re Watching: Girls5Eva “Album Mode” and “Triumphant Return to the Studio”

June 7th, 2022

18:04

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we return to an old favorite: Girls5Eva, which is back for season 2. It's just as goofy and fun the …

Summer Sampler: High School Graduation

June 6th, 2022

15:25

We're off this week, but bringing you some past discussions on summer-y topics to kick off the season. This one comes from June 2019.

​On today's …

Speed-Round Sunday: Would You Take Three Years and Travel the World?

June 5th, 2022

4:53

On a recent Speed Round, in the course of a different discussion, Catherine mentioned this question: "If someone paid you to travel the world for the …

Second-Listen Saturday: Last-Minute Shopping Emergencies

June 4th, 2022

11:21

On this week's Round 3, our complaint is with kids who suddenly need essentials like salt, black shoes, and Revolutionary War-era costumes at the …

Roundabout Roundup: Naked Lunch Podcast, Aventon E-Bikes, and Follow the Herd

June 3rd, 2022

7:29

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri's found a new podcast to enjoy: Naked Lunch from Phil Rosenthal and David Wild [

The Art of Grudge-Holding

June 2nd, 2022

10:49

Terri recently found out that someone's been holding a grudge against her for more than a decade, so we obsessed about grudges we've held and been …

What We’re Watching: Bridgerton “The Viscount Who Loved Me” and The Afterparty “Maggie”

May 31st, 2022

27:28

On this week's entertainment-themed episode: The season finales of both our series! Bridgerton finally arrived at Kate and Anthony's happy ending, but there were quite unhappy endings for several other characters. We …

Old Enough

May 30th, 2022

13:39

The Japanese TV show Old Enough (available on Netflix [https://www.netflix.com/title/81506279]) features teeny, tiny children going out in the world …

Speed-Round Sunday: How Dog-Friendly Is Your Neighborhood?

May 29th, 2022

5:39

Terri's just trying to walk her dog around her nice suburban neighborhood. Why are people treating her like public enemy #1?

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this …

Second-Listen Saturday: Unsound Sleep

May 28th, 2022

10:27

​Today's obsession is sleep, and whether our kids are getting enough of it. Because when the kids aren't sleeping, neither are the mothers. It's quite the vicious cycle.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, …

Roundabout Roundup: Singo, @MenWiththePot, Reusable Bags

May 27th, 2022

9:09

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine's shouting out Singo, a fun twist on Bingo [https://www.playsingo.com/]. Nicole's Instagram Minute …

Parent Ditch Day

May 26th, 2022

10:53

Last week's chat about senior skip day [https://www.parentingroundaboutpodcast.com/blog/senior-skip-day] got us obsessing about what we'd do with a skip day of our own. What we really need is a way to peace out from …

Puzzling Purchases

May 25th, 2022

11:19

After we heard about a little boy who commandeered his mom's phone to order 31 McDonald's cheeseburgers via Doordash [

What We’re Watching: Bridgerton “Harmony” and The Afterparty “Danner”

May 24th, 2022

22:17

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: The Bridgertons and the Sharmas try to show their "Harmony" in the face of the ton's disdain, and it doesn't go well. Anthony and Kate get a brief moment of happiness, but it …

Baby Formula Fears

May 23rd, 2022

11:33

While we are past (way past) the baby formula stage, we feel for the parents who are struggling to find what they need to feed their little ones. And …

Speed-Round Sunday: Would You Get Another Pet?

May 22nd, 2022

6:04

Nicole's getting some pressure to add a puppy to the family. Though we're pretty sure she's gonna cave, we talk about all the reasons why we should …

Roundabout Roundup: Taylor Farms Chopped Kits, Puffs Plus Lotion, and KIND Frozen Treat Bars

May 20th, 2022

9:13

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole shocks us all by enjoying salad: Taylor Farms Chopped Kits [https://www.taylorfarms.com/chopped-kits/]. …

Scooting to a Street Near You

May 19th, 2022

15:02

Now that Bird scooters [https://www.bird.co/] have arrived in Catherine's small town, we obsessed about other goods and services that we think should …

Senior Skip Day

May 18th, 2022

11:58

We complain (lightly) about this seasonal ritual, and discuss whether or not parents and schools should look the other way or take a stand. …

What We’re Watching: Bridgerton “The Choice” and The Afterparty “Zoe”

May 17th, 2022

20:54

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: The queen has planned a lavish wedding for Edwina and Anthony, so there's no stopping them now, right? Wrong! Also wrong: The queen's spy who thinks he has identified Lady …

Working Parent Shame

May 16th, 2022

17:49

A BBC article titled "The Parental Shame That Haunts Working Parents" [https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220121-the-parental-shame-that-haunts-working-parents] got us talking about the shame we've experienced, …

Speed Round Sunday: Does Your Pet Have Any Funny Habits or Irrational Fears?

May 15th, 2022

7:30

We've talked about our dogs plenty on this podcast, so consider this listing of their fears and desires and coffee-stealing habits more as a review than a revelation.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if …

Second-Listen Saturday: Kids and Rejection, College Acceptance Edition

May 14th, 2022

11:52

We feel the need to complain about those who dare reject our kids (the nerve!). 'Tis the season for college decisions, and it's never easy to console …

Roundabout Roundup: Puffs the Play, Fancii Desk Fan, and @thedad

May 13th, 2022

8:37

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine shouts out Puffs, a funny play (not the brand of facial tissues). Catch it at a high school near you or …

Unpopular Opinions

May 12th, 2022

11:28

We go out on a limb to obsess about some of the opinions we hold that aren't shared by others, sometimes including family members. But we're standing …

Should Families Wear Matching Outfits?

May 11th, 2022

13:18

On today's episode, one of us is responding to some new offerings from Target [https://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/2564294/matching-family-outfits-target/] by complaining about matching outfits for families. The …

What We’re Watching: Bridgerton “An Unthinkable Fate” and The Afterparty “High School”

May 10th, 2022

20:52

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: "An Unthinkable Fate" on Bridgerton might be marrying your love's sister, or being disinherited by your …

Gestures of Generosity

May 9th, 2022

11:35

Today, we're inspired by the Walker Hayes song "Craig" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pLNTewIfrg] and the book it. in turn, inspired, called Glad You're Here: Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Fences [

Speed-Round Sunday: Have You Ever Been Bitten by an Animal?

May 8th, 2022

5:24

We have tales of being bit by dogs and monkeys and even bicycles, but we're not holding grudges. (If those lizards menacing Nicole ever do attack, …

Second-Listen Saturday: Launching a Young Adult

May 7th, 2022

11:21

With her daughter off to college soon, Nicole is obsessed with teaching independence and life skills. Terri and Catherine offer advice, despite …

Roundabout Roundup: Audible, Parks and Recollection, and Starbucks Royal English Breakfast Tea Latte

May 6th, 2022

10:16

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Nicole's enjoying audiobooks on Audible [https://www.audible.com/], and mentioned that it's now integrated with …

If We Had a Billion Dollars

May 5th, 2022

14:09

We take a cue from the Bobby Bones Show [https://overcast.fm/+IvaKUKVgg/16:12] and obsess about what we'd do to transform a company if we had the funds to purchase it and remake it to our liking.

This show is part of the …

There’s an App for That

May 4th, 2022

14:40

But should there be? Huckleberry [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/huckleberry-baby-child/id1169136078] is just one of many baby-tracking and …

What We’re Watching: Bridgerton “Victory” and The Afterparty “Chelsea”

May 3rd, 2022

20:27

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, the "victory" of Bridgerton's title could have referred to a number of events, but none of them were …

Memories of Mom

May 2nd, 2022

15:15

It's almost Mother's Day, so we shared some of our favorite memories of our own moms (including how they are with our own kids). We hope all our listeners feel appreciated this week and every week.

This show is part of …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Wear Sandals?

May 1st, 2022

5:39

It's a good time to set feet free from shoes and socks. But sandals can be problematic if your spouse disapproves, you have a foot condition that requires sturdier footwear, or your part of the country demands pricey …

Second-Listen Saturday: Like Talking to a Brick Wall

April 30th, 2022

10:44

We've tried cute little notes, temper tantrums, and repeating ourselves over and over (and over) again. And yet, our families ignore our wise counsel …

Roundabout Roundup: @edpeople on TikTok, Milk-Bone Vitamin Treats, and Intension Design Standing Desk

April 29th, 2022

9:18

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole's enjoying traveling the world with Ed People on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@edpeople]. Catherine's …

Spontaneity vs. Scheduling

April 28th, 2022

11:07

Spontaneity is easy and fun when you have no jobs, kids, or pets. At our stage in life, we require plenty of time for advance planning and advance worrying.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Rewriting the Rules for Happiness

April 27th, 2022

9:47

An article suggesting "10 Practical Ways to Improve Happiness" [https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2022/04/happiness-research-how-to-be-happy-advice/629559/] got us complaining about exactly how practical it is, …

What We’re Watching: Bridgerton “A Bee in Your Bonnet” and The Afterparty “Yasper”

April 26th, 2022

15:03

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: Bridgerton took a bit of a darker turn and gave us some traumatic Bridgerton family backstory. So we forgive Anthony's rakishness, for now. Next: "Victory."

Luckily, The …

Are You a Soggy Mom?

April 25th, 2022

13:00

Like Duh-nelle on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@i.talkwith.myhands/video/7079877885867314478], we are unapologetically not crunchy moms. We are the …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Send Birthday Cards in the Mail?

April 24th, 2022

4:39

It's the kind of thing we'd love to say that we do—especially Terri, who used to work for Hallmark—but between the cost and the time and the organization needed to actually buy and mail something, we're not exactly on …

Second-Listen Saturday: All-or-Nothing Activities

April 23rd, 2022

14:57

In this episode, we're talking about kids today—or really, kids' activities today and how they're really kids' and parents' activities. Because why …

Roundabout Roundup: Wakeout! App and DepthsofWikipedia

April 22nd, 2022

6:59

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri recommends Wakeout!, an app that she says makes exercise fun [https://wakeout.app/]. And in Nicole's …

Rethinking the TV Reboot

April 21st, 2022

12:15

With TV shows like Full House and iCarly returning with re-imaginings and reboots, we obsessed about who, exactly, these shows are really for: The …

Friends Old and New

April 20th, 2022

11:43

Catherine got to spend a few days with one of her oldest (as in longest-standing) friends, and this prompted some complaints about how hard it is to …

What We’re Watching: Bridgerton “Off to the Races” and The Afterparty “Brett”

April 19th, 2022

18:53

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Bridgerton is indeed "Off to the Races," as suitors line up to compete for Edwina Sharma's hand and Eloise and the Queen continue their pursuit of Lady Whistledown. Next: "A …

Kids’ Stuff Side Hustles

April 18th, 2022

11:59

When we heard about Sniffspot [https://www.sniffspot.com/], an Airbnb-type service that lets you rent out your yard to curious canines, we …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Celebrate Your Dog's Birthday?

April 17th, 2022

4:39

We love our dogs so much; we talk about them all the time on the podcast (and sometimes you can even hear them in the background). But birthday …

Second-Listen Saturday: How Hotels Win Our Hearts

April 16th, 2022

10:42

It turns out we're all obsessed with certain hotel amenities. Free, fast Wifi is a given, but you can also make an impression with easy access to hot drinks, USB ports, lap desks, and Netflix.

This show is part of the …

Roundabout Roundup: S (Ship of Theseus) and Flower Shops by ERNEST

April 15th, 2022

6:48

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, we close out our entertainment-inspired week of episodes with a couple of pop-culture picks. Catherine's son …

Parenting Investigations

April 14th, 2022

9:00

On today's entertainment-inspired episode, we're obsessing about TV procedurals and all the parenting mysteries, big and small, that a crack team of …

TV Moms Like Us

April 13th, 2022

10:37

Continuing our entertainment-themed episodes this week, today we complain about TV shows that overlook certain types of moms and families--the types we are. We have some ideas for you, network execs.

This show is part of …

What We’re Watching: Bridgerton “Capital-R Rake” and The Afterparty “Aniq”

April 12th, 2022

20:32

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we kicked off two new series watches. From The Gilded Age, we jumped to another costume drama: Season 2 of Bridgerton. It's starting strong with the two romantic leads facing …

The Social Stakes of Parenting

April 11th, 2022

14:12

It's just Terri and Catherine this week, so we're jumping off our entertainment-themed Round 2s to bring you a week of pop-culture inspired …

Speed-Round Sunday: What’s a TV Plot Twist That Has Stunned You?

April 10th, 2022

5:31

We recall some shocking plot developments that took us by surprise ... and mourn the fact that watching things months after the fact on our DVRs means it's hard to be shocked anymore. Mentioned: The Extra Hot Great …

Second-Listen Saturday: Bothered by Baby Talk

April 9th, 2022

9:48

Parents, trust us when we tell you we would rather listen to your child's tantrum than your cringe-y baby talk. We usually try to show solidarity …

Roundabout Roundup: Accordion File Organizer and Yogasleep White Noise Machine

April 8th, 2022

7:07

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, two very practical picks: Terri's rainbow-colored accordion file [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08M43R3YQ/ref

Independently Healthy

April 7th, 2022

10:37

Monday's episode covered our big kids' finances, and today we're obsessing about their health. How much of their appointments, bills, questions, and …

Minding Our Manners

April 6th, 2022

14:32

It's a dinner-table dilemma: How to teach kids the manners they need for the real world when they're mostly in the at-home bubble, where burping at the table and eating with your fingers can be easily overlooked.

This …

What We’re Watching: The Gilded Age Episodes 8 and 9

April 5th, 2022

24:21

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we finished up The Gilded Age season 1 with a triumphant ball and some (but not all) secrets revealed. These were an especially fun and frothy pair of episodes to close out …

Family Financial Planning

April 4th, 2022

14:18

When kids are little, it's simple: Parents pay (and pay, and pay) for everything. But as they grow, the financial situation gets a little more fuzzy. What's a need, what's a want, and who covers the cost?

This show is …

Speed-Round Sunday: How Do You Protect Your Privacy Online?

April 3rd, 2022

6:44

We know we should be more careful, but finding the balance between staying safe on the Internet and having fun on it is getting harder and harder to …

Second-Listen Saturday: Casserole People vs. Spoon People

April 2nd, 2022

12:52

Inspired by Amy Brown's podcast, today we're talking about casseroles vs. spoons. Actually, we're all confessing that when it's time to contribute to …

Roundabout Roundup: Justin’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Door Buddy Door Latch, and WW

April 1st, 2022

8:27

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine's found a new sweet treat with good-for-you ingredients: Justin’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups [

The Latest Cause of College-Student FOMO

March 31st, 2022

13:27

When we learned that, apparently, LinkedIn causes stress and FOMO for college students [

YouTube Goes to School

March 30th, 2022

8:44

A Wall Street Journal article about YouTube in the classroom [

What We’re Watching: As We See It Episode 8 and The Gilded Age Episode 7

March 29th, 2022

32:34

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we wrapped up the (first?) season of As We See It with "Please Don't Leave." Everything's coming up Douglas, and Mandy manages to patch things up with Harrison after he …

Is It Time for Permanent Daylight Saving Time?

March 28th, 2022

13:24

The U.S. Senate's vote to make Daylight Saving Time permanent got us talking about the twice-yearly time change, and whether it really makes kids squirrely or is just a minor inconvenience that's quickly forgotten.

This …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Have a Favorite Talk Show Host?

March 27th, 2022

6:10

From the latest in late night to our college daytime-show faves, we talk talk-show hosts and who we remember most fondly.

This show is part of the …

Second-Listen Saturday: Motivating Kids to Move

March 26th, 2022

11:28

There's almost nothing more delicate than trying to encourage a kid to exercise ("Are you saying I'm fat?!"), which explains why we're all a little obsessed with our children's fitness habits.

This show is part of the …

Roundabout Roundup: Heidi Wrangles Cats, HARDY, and Making Fun

March 25th, 2022

8:11

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole's Instagram Minute is back with cat rescuer Heidi Wrangles Cats [

PSA: What Not to Say

March 24th, 2022

11:13

It seems that some of our family members need a public service announcement about thoughts and opinions they should keep to themselves. Or perhaps …

Time for a Garage Sale

March 23rd, 2022

14:15

Inspired by a mom who mercilessly sold her kids' toys on eBay, we complain about the stuff in our homes we'd like to put a price tag on and shove out …

What We’re Watching: As We See It Episode 7 and The Gilded Age Episode 6

March 22nd, 2022

25:17

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, so much betrayal. On As We See It ("Outed"), Harrison feels deceived by Mandy, Jack realizes he isn't …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Answer the Door?

March 20th, 2022

6:44

Spam phone calls are bad enough, but what about when salespeople come to your door—do you open it or hide until they go away? Or what if it's a kid selling cookies? Or a neighbor with a dead goose? We assess our degree …

Second-Listen Saturday: Check-Out Line Chaos

March 19th, 2022

9:31

Even though she's moved on from having to wrangle small, grabby children in line at the store, Nicole still has some complaints about the system (or …

Roundabout Roundup: Pet Picks

March 18th, 2022

9:37

This week, in honor of an ailing pet in our podcast family (get well soon, buddy!), we're revisiting some of our past discussions about our companion animals--and that goes for roundup recommendations too.
In November …

Pet Replay: Cat and Dog Decisions

March 17th, 2022

14:49

This week, in honor of an ailing pet in our podcast family (get well soon, buddy!), we're revisiting some of our past discussions about our companion animals, from cats and dogs to turtles and stick bugs. Today's …

Pet Replay: Disgusting Things We Do for Our Dogs

March 16th, 2022

12:20

This week, in honor of an ailing pet in our podcast family (get well soon, buddy!), we're revisiting some of our past discussions about our companion animals, from cats and dogs to turtles and stick bugs. Today's …

What We’re Watching: As We See It Episode 6 and The Gilded Age Episode 5

March 15th, 2022

24:45

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: As We See It's 6th episode, "Fear Is My Bitch," once again found us lamenting some bad, bad decisions and choices (but at least Joe Mantegna's character is still alive). …

Pet Replay: Critter Report

March 14th, 2022

15:20

This week, in honor of an ailing pet in our podcast family (get well soon, buddy!), we're revisiting some of our past discussions about our companion animals, from cats and dogs to turtles and stick bugs. Today's …

Speed-Round Sunday: Have You Been to a Conference?

March 13th, 2022

5:53

Catherine plans to attend a local writer's conference, and that inspired Terri to share her formative experience with the Santa Barbara Writer's …

Second-Listen Saturday: Who's Spying on Your Refrigerator?

March 12th, 2022

10:28

When we heard that photos from inside a wifi-enabled refrigerator might be used in a dating app, we started wondering—and worrying—about where else those pics might turn up.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime …

Roundabout Roundup: Everlane, Good Thins Jalapeño & Lime Corn & Rice Snacks, Walker Hayes Playlist

March 11th, 2022

6:28

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine was Instagram-influenced to buy a cozy, new-but-recycled sweater from Everlane [

An Unlikely Parenting Resource

March 10th, 2022

11:16

You can get everything at Walmart, even parenting advice: The retailer has a new service called Tot Squad [

The Warning Labels We Really Need

March 9th, 2022

10:57

Gruesome images on cigarette packs and soda bottles can deter consumers. So we came up with some more products (and people) that should come with …

What We’re Watching: As We See It Episode 5 and The Gilded Age Episode 4

March 8th, 2022

35:28

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: As We See It episode 5, "Ever Had an Edible?" pushed all of Terri's mom-of-kids-with special needs …

Kids' Toys Grow Up

March 7th, 2022

12:01

Back in the fall of 2020, we talked about Play-Doh for grown-ups [https://www.parentingroundaboutpodcast.com/blog/yesterdays-toys-today]. Now, Build-a-Bear has gotten in on the action with stuffed animals "just for …

Speed-Round Sunday: Inclusion in Action

March 6th, 2022

7:17

Hey, did you hear that Nicole wrote a book? And it's finally here! We celebrate her book-release day with a little talk about Inclusion in Action: …

Second-Listen Saturday: To Work or Not to Work

March 5th, 2022

11:06

Terri's been obsessing about her kids' jobs for a while, and now Nicole is joining her. How much pressure should we put on our high-school students …

Roundabout Roundup: Utz Potato Sticks, Euphoria, and Quordle

March 4th, 2022

8:31

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri shared another delicious snack option: potato sticks from Utz [

Amazing Teamwork

March 3rd, 2022

10:52

After watching the most recent season of The Amazing Race (which just wrapped up), Catherine obsessed about which of her family members she'd team up …

Parenting Partnership Problems

March 2nd, 2022

10:43

Today, we're complaining about those times when we disagree with our spouses about a parenting issue. We don't understand how this happens, since our way is always the right way.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime …

What We’re Watching: As We See It Episode 4 and The Gilded Age Episode 3

March 1st, 2022

25:19

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: As We See It's episode 4, "The Violetini," centered on a birthday party that did not go well for two out …

Never Have I Ever

February 28th, 2022

11:38

A surprising weather event in Southern California got us talking about life experiences we, and our kids, have missed out on (or been spared from), like broken bones and sleeping under the stars.

This show is part of the …

Speed-Round Sunday: Celebration Traditions

February 27th, 2022

5:30

It's family birthday season for Catherine and Terri, and book launch season for Nicole, so it seems like a good time to review our celebration …

Second-Listen Saturday: The Unsolicited Schedule Shake-Up

February 26th, 2022

11:53

Kids thrive on routines, but so do parents. So today we're complaining about having to deal with changes to our daily habits—and the best ways to bug other people until they fix things.

This show is part of the Spreaker …

Roundabout Roundup: Baskin-Robbins Peanut Butter Cup Layered Sundae, Bona Fide Masks, and L.L. Bean Fleece Blanket

February 25th, 2022

8:43

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole had us all drooling over the Baskin-Robbins Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Layered Sundae [

Small-Talk Struggles

February 24th, 2022

14:16

A Wall Street Journal article titled "College Students Have to Learn to Make Small Talk Again" [

Shaming a Mom-Shamer

February 23rd, 2022

12:36

This week's complaint is about a mom-shaming incident we read about [

What We’re Watching: As We See It Episode 3 and The Gilded Age Episode 2

February 22nd, 2022

28:00

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, the As We See It roommates continue to navigate family ties, friendship, and romance in episode 2, "When …

Baby on Board

February 21st, 2022

13:37

An article about an ingenious solution for parents juggling small children and work [https://www.moms.com/desk-parents-with-toddler-goes-viral/] (or …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Chat with Workers in Your House?

February 20th, 2022

4:53

Gas line work in Terri's neighborhood and the need for a young fellow to come in the house and turn stuff off and on led her to wonder: Is it good …

Roundabout Roundup: Lemon Creme Pie Pop-Tarts, Interior Design: Ask Everything, and RockerSkating

February 18th, 2022

9:15

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri tried a tasty new Pop-Tart (the Lemon Creme Pie flavor [

Is Honesty the Best Policy?

February 17th, 2022

13:02

A Character Lab tip about honesty, and how stress makes it hard to practice [https://characterlab.org/tips-of-the-week/honest-people/], got us obsessing about times when we've been honest, or tried to teach our kids …

The Next Challenge

February 16th, 2022

12:20

Nicole finished her last course in her master's program (yay Nicole!!), which got us complaining about how finishing a big project or meeting a …

What We’re Watching: As We See It Episode 2 and The Gilded Age Episode 1

February 15th, 2022

29:21

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we returned to As We See It with episode 2, "I Apologize for My Words and Actions." We continue to be …

To Valentine Or Not to Valentine

February 14th, 2022

13:05

Happy Valentine's Day, lovely listeners! As the calendar demands, on today's episode we talk about how we observe this day with our spouses and kids. …

Speed-Round Sunday: Top Sheet or No Top Sheet?

February 13th, 2022

4:37

Like folks didn't already have enough to disagree about these days, top sheets have become a hot topic on the Internet. (Or they were when we …

Second-Listen Saturday: The KonMaybe Method

February 12th, 2022

14:23

Marie Kondo and her KonMari method are all over our social media feeds, thanks to her Netflix show [https://www.netflix.com/title/80209379]. So today, we discuss our tidying-up takeaways. In a nutshell: We're #KonMaybe. …

How Kids Change Their Parents

February 10th, 2022

10:15

A fascinating BBC article [https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220104-how-parenting-changes-you] got us obsessing about how our kids have changed us, and how much power we really have, as parents, to change them.

This …

Gifts That Keep on Giving

February 9th, 2022

14:32

On today's episode, we're talking and complaining about gifts that come with a side of worry and confusion--those occasions where other people give our children gifts, and we can't quite figure out why they did. Do they …

What We’re Watching: As We See It and Abbott Elementary

February 8th, 2022

19:42

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we checked out two new TV series and enjoyed them both--but will only continue watching one of them: As …

Debit Cards for Kids

February 7th, 2022

13:16

Banks are now promoting debit cards for kids, and in an increasingly cashless society, we can certainly see the benefits. They gotta learn somehow! Mentioned: Mint for budgeting [https://mint.intuit.com/].

This show is …

Speed-Round Sunday: Winter Olympic Ticket Wishes

February 6th, 2022

4:55

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure. This one is from February 2018, the last time the Winter Olympic Games were held.

Upside: No constant blather from NBC …

Second-Listen Saturday: Second-Generation Phone Phobia

February 5th, 2022

10:56

Today we're talking about talking on the phone—more specifically, helping our kids make their own calls to employers and insurance companies and other fun places. Why can't we do everything online, please?

This show is …

Roundabout Roundup: Wordus, Enjoy Product Delivery, and The Amazing Race

February 4th, 2022

10:47

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole took the Wordle ball and ran with it, finding an app called Wordus that allows you to play Wordle all day …

Emboldened Animals

February 3rd, 2022

11:54

After Nicole heard about a Ring cam capturing footage of a mountain-lion fight, we obsessed over what wildlife we might encounter near our homes. We …

Not Alone, But Lonely

February 2nd, 2022

14:22

A Wall Street Journal column titled "Moms in Middle Age: Rarely Alone, Often Online, and Increasingly Lonely" [

What We’re Watching: The Tender Bar and Up in the Air

February 1st, 2022

23:18

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we took a week off from TV and watched two movies: The Tender Bar (2021) and Up in the Air (2009). Both were enjoyable character studies, even if they were also very "Man has …

Learning Via Laptop

January 31st, 2022

15:09

Prompted by a researcher's "hey that's not what I meant!" article on note-taking by laptop [https://characterlab.org/tips-of-the-week/take-note/], we discussed the ups, downs, pros, and cons of kids using laptops and …

Speed-Round Sunday: Amusement Park or Beach?

January 30th, 2022

4:40

This or that: Sand and a sunburn or roller coasters and expensive fun? We're not all that enthusiastic about either one, TBH.​

This show is part of …

Second-Listen Saturday: Haunted By High School

January 29th, 2022

11:12

Not only are we obsessed with embarrassing things that happened to us in high school, we're obsessed with trying to protect our kids from having the …

Group Screams

January 27th, 2022

11:25

Some moms might find a group primal scream therapeutic, but we're not buying it. We don't want witnesses to our screaming, so we suggest some alternatives.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Moms on Call

January 26th, 2022

11:29

An article titled "Being the Mom of Older Kids Is an On-Call Position" [https://grownandflown.com/always-available-for-my-teens/] definitely resonated with us. Our kids might not cry for us in the middle of the night …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso “Midnight Train to Royston” and “Inverting the Pyramid of Success”

January 25th, 2022

26:39

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we wrap up our Ted Lasso watch with the final two episodes of season 2. It's the less universally beloved season, and we definitely have quibbles with some of the storylines. …

Pondering Praise

January 24th, 2022

13:13

An article about uncertain incentives led us to talk about whether our kids are motivated by praise that's intermittent or constant. Say it with us: Parenting is hard! Motivating kids is hard!! Also mentioned: …

Speed-Round Sunday: The Worst Diet You've Been On

January 23rd, 2022

5:48

It's a delicate subject, but we do all have some bad diet story or other, from grapefruits to cabbage to partial vegan. There's one we give thumbs-up to, too.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Second-Listen Saturday: Technical Difficulties

January 22nd, 2022

12:10

New phone frustration has us wondering if we're too old to be technically savvy, or if it's technology that needs to do a better job meeting our …

Roundabout Roundup: Jonathan Kellerman, The Anthropocene Reviewed, and The Hundred-Year House

January 21st, 2022

10:09

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, it's a rare all-books edition! Nicole's rediscovered her favorite author, Jonathan Kellerman, in audiobook form [

Our Kids' Favorite Things

January 20th, 2022

11:57

We obsess over a few of our kids' favorite things from their little-kid days--at least the ones we still feel some fondness for, like The Lion King (Broadway show), Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars, Arthur, Dragon Tales, …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso “Beard After Dark” and “No Weddings and a Funeral”

January 18th, 2022

16:08

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: Ted Lasso's Coach Beard has a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad night, documented in an overlong episode that doesn't advance the show's plot at all. Then, in "No …

Texts to New Parents

January 17th, 2022

11:26

Nicole heard about a new service that sends informative text messages to new parents [https://globalnews.ca/news/8251440/ubc-new-parent-text-service/

Speed-Round Sunday: Most-Liked Social Media Posts

January 16th, 2022

5:03

Even if you're not a teenager living and dying by the amount of likes your posts receive, it's always nice to get some attention for the things we put on Facebook and Instagram and what-all. Today, we chat about some of …

Second-Listen Saturday: 50 Ways to Celebrate a Birthday

January 15th, 2022

10:26

This is going to be a big year for both Catherine and Nicole: They'll both be celebrating (maybe observing is more accurate?) their 50th birthday. …

Roundabout Roundup: iHealth Home Covid Tests, Weiman Jewelry Cleaner, and Harry Potter Legos

January 14th, 2022

10:44

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Terri got her hands on some home Covid tests from iHealth (here's the instruction video; you don't even have to …

Parenting Rites of Passage

January 12th, 2022

13:53

Sure, it's a big deal when you send your child to kindergarten (or college). But are you really a parent if you haven't dealt with head lice, faced a …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso “Headspace” and “Man City”

January 11th, 2022

28:19

On this week's entertainment-themed episode, two pretty tough episodes of Ted Lasso. Characters struggled with daddy issues, panic attacks, head injuries, and a drubbing from Manchester City (plus a probably …

Birthday Party Plus-Ones

January 10th, 2022

11:21

We totally fell for a clickbait-y headline about a mom bringing four uninvited guests to kids' birthday parties [

Speed-Round Sunday: What’s Your Favorite US City?

January 9th, 2022

5:29

From the West Coast to the East Coast, from the suburbs to the sprawl, we shout out some cities we've loved or liked or had mixed feelings about. It's complicated.​

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you …

Roundabout Roundup: Axe-Throwing, Elephas Portable Projector, and Nine Nasty Words

January 7th, 2022

6:34

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine discovered she has a talent for axe-throwing. Nicole shouts out a portable projector that lets you turn …

Time Flies When You’re Parenting

January 6th, 2022

11:18

An adorable Instagram post from musician (and father of many little kids) Thomas Rhett [https://www.instagram.com/p/CXjTTVJFqgw/] got us obsessing …

Do You Have a Word of the Year?

January 5th, 2022

11:03

In lieu of a New Year's resolution, some people (like author Karen Walrond [https://www.chookooloonks.com/blog/focusing-on-words]) choose a word of …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso “Rainbow” and “The Signal”

January 4th, 2022

14:05

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, two more episodes of Ted Lasso, season two. "Rainbow" was a delightful rom-com tribute that nicely …

Really Realistic Resolutions

January 3rd, 2022

14:07

Happy New Year! We are not resolution people, so we figured: Why not think big, and make some ambitious pledges that we know we won't follow up on? …

Speed-Round Sunday: Your Last Amazon Order

January 2nd, 2022

5:51

From vitamins to pop-sockets to surprise boxes, we talk about our latest purchases and some Prime particulars.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime …

Second-Listen Saturday: New Year’s Eve Memories

January 1st, 2022

6:46

Today's topic: New Year's Eve (and New Year's Day) traditions and memories, like narrowly avoiding Y2K disaster and giving Times Square a wide berth. How do you celebrate?

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, …

2021 Favorites: Roundabout Roundup

December 31st, 2021

13:09

Happy holidays! This week, we are taking a look back at some 2021 episodes we loved. Today, our favorite Roundabout Roundup picks, originally from …

2021 Favorites: Questionable Birthday Gifts for Moms

December 30th, 2021

13:16

Happy holidays! This week, we are taking a look back at some 2021 episodes we loved. This one originally dropped on July 1.

Terri's birthday was …

2021 Favorites: Who Are You Calling Cheugy?

December 29th, 2021

11:21

Happy holidays! This week, we are taking a look back at some 2021 episodes we loved. This one originally dropped on May 26 (but the topic is back in …

2021 Favorites: CODA and Only Murders in the Building

December 28th, 2021

21:50

Happy holidays! This week, we are taking a look back at some 2021 episodes we loved. These originally dropped in August (CODA) and November (Only …

2021 Favorites: How We Became Moms

December 27th, 2021

22:37

Happy holidays! This week, we are taking a look back at some 2021 episodes we loved. This one originally dropped on April 12.

​It's our version of …

Speed-Round Sunday: Three Things that Make Us Happy

December 26th, 2021

5:31

In this holiday week, we're focusing on happy things, like having family around us, and maybe having podcasting friends around us too.

This show is …

Second-Listen Saturday: Scrooge Goes to a Baby Shower

December 25th, 2021

11:53

On this day of gift-giving in honor of a baby, we discuss whether nontraditional baby shower gifts are an improvement on the basic baby blanket and onesie. Plus: Bonus complaining about how it's harder than ever to buy …

Roundabout Roundup: Our Archives, Blown Away Christmas, and Two Blind Brothers

December 24th, 2021

6:59

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Nicole shouts out this very podcast--specifically, our archives, because we have over 1,000 episodes for you to …

Holiday Do-Overs

December 23rd, 2021

11:38

On yesterday's episode, we recounted some holiday tales of woe. Today, we take a fresh look at how we could fix some holiday fails with a do-over. …

Never-Again Holiday Happenings

December 22nd, 2021

12:40

We review some fond memories and some not-so-fond ones and decide there are some holiday events that should stay forever in the misty, pine-scented …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso “Do the Right-est Thing” and “Carol of the Bells”

December 21st, 2021

13:53

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we continue with season two of Ted Lasso, episodes 3 and 4. Episode 4, "Carol of the Bells," is a …

Gifts Gone Wrong

December 20th, 2021

18:12

With gift-giving season in full swing, we share our tales of the times we got it right (like pet portraits [

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Name Your Car?

December 19th, 2021

5:02

Do you identify your car by something impersonal like color, make, or who drives it? Or have you come up with a more creative tag, like Blueberry or …

Second-Listen Saturday: AirPods? More Like WherePods!

December 18th, 2021

9:46

Many kids (and teens and young adults) that we know are obsessed with AirPods, Apple's pricey wireless earbuds. Some are lucky enough to have their …

Roundabout Roundup: The Dutch House, Okocat Natural Wood Clumping Litter, and Buy Military-Owned Guide

December 17th, 2021

7:26

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine enjoyed a novel by Ann Patchett, The Dutch House (and the audiobook narrated by Tom Hanks) [

Party Animals We Are Not

December 16th, 2021

13:12

Holiday parties are happening again, but our social skills may have rusted a bit over the past 19 months. We obsess about parties, gatherings, and …

Building a Better Doctor’s Office

December 15th, 2021

11:31

A gynecologist went viral (not in the actual germy way) for asking on Twitter how he could improve the office visit experience for his patients [

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso “Goodbye Earl” and “Lavender”

December 14th, 2021

15:00

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we kick off season 2 of Ted Lasso with "Goodbye Earl" and "Lavender." We're fans of the extremely capable Dr. Sharon Fieldstone, and can't wait to see what she has in store …

Holiday Shopping Setbacks

December 13th, 2021

14:04

With Christmas looming and everyone panicking about the supply chain, we check in on our shopping progress so far. Some of us still have long to-buy and to-do lists.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if …

Speed-Round Sunday: Sofa Pillow Overload

December 12th, 2021

6:29

It's nice, value-for-money-wise, to get lots of lovely throw pillows with a new sofa and love seat, but when there are so many that there's no room for humans to sit, things start getting out of hand. Of course, it …

Second-Listen Saturday: To Snow Day Or Not Snow Day

December 11th, 2021

11:03

Kids complain when they don't get a snow day. Parents complain when they do AND when they don't. This is why we don't want to be the snow-day decision-makers.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Lovable Loser Week: We Give These Parenting Experiences One Star

December 10th, 2021

11:45

As the year draws to a close, we’ve been looking back on our 2021 episodes and found some that were just hanging out there sadly at the bottom of the download tally. So this week, we’re going to highlight some of our …

Lovable Loser Week: Do You Need a Primal Scream?

December 9th, 2021

10:45

As the year draws to a close, we’ve been looking back on our 2021 episodes and found some that were just hanging out there sadly at the bottom of the download tally. So this week, we’re going to highlight some of our …

Lovable Loser Week: When Products Try Too Hard to Be Helpful

December 8th, 2021

13:12

As the year draws to a close, we’ve been looking back on our 2021 episodes and found some that were just hanging out there sadly at the bottom of the download tally. So this week, we’re going to highlight some of our …

Lovable Loser Week: Empty Nest Careers

December 7th, 2021

11:51

As the year draws to a close, we’ve been looking back on our 2021 episodes and found some that were just hanging out there sadly at the bottom of the download tally. So this week, we’re going to highlight some of our …

Lovable Loser Week: Family Performance Reviews

December 6th, 2021

10:34

As the year draws to a close, we’ve been looking back on our 2021 episodes and found some that were just hanging out there sadly at the bottom of the download tally. So this week, we’re going to highlight some of our …

Speed-Round Sunday: Kids and Inappropriate Winter Wear

December 5th, 2021

6:09

From Wisconsin and New Jersey, where kids wear shorts when it's freezing, to Southern California, where kids wear woolens when it's warm, we discuss …

Second-Listen Saturday: Careful with That College Reveal!

December 4th, 2021

11:02

​​​Apparently college reveal parties (and godmother proposals) are a thing? Today we're talking about the extra-ness of it all, and why you shouldn't …

Roundabout Roundup: Walker Hayes ‘AA,’ O-Cedar EasyWring Spin Mop, Rocket Fizz

December 3rd, 2021

6:12

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Terri's listening to Walker Hayes' new song, "AA," on repeat [https://youtu.be/hp6T14iP2C4]. Nicole cleaned up a …

Family Splurges

December 2nd, 2021

12:34

Inspired by this cute story [https://tasteofcountry.com/walker-hayes-fancy-like-promise-christmas-blowups/] about the singer Walker Hayes buying blow-up Christmas decorations for each of his six kids, we talked about …

Car Features We’d Like to See

December 1st, 2021

14:23

Nicole follows @mobile_mama [https://www.tiktok.com/@mobile_mama], a reviewer who evaluates cars based on their mom-friendliness, on TikTok. That …

What We’re Watching: tick, tick … BOOM!

November 30th, 2021

18:03

On our entertainment-themed Round 2 this week: Since we've professed interested in both musical theatre and anything Lin-Manuel Miranda does, we had to watch tick, tick ... BOOM! on Netflix. It's a movie adaption of …

Podcasts for Our Kids

November 29th, 2021

12:54

Since our offspring grew up in the olden days before kids' podcasts were a thing (and neither were moms' podcasts), we talk about what shows they …

Speed-Round Sunday: How Useful Would You Be in a Zombie Apocalypse?

November 28th, 2021

4:36

A chat about our zombie survival skills gets sidetracked by our musing about how people in breakdown-of-civilization movies somehow always have …

Second-Listen Saturday: Skin-Care Struggles

November 27th, 2021

9:21

We got our skin care and beauty advice from Seventeen magazine, and our daughters get it from YouTube. Because they definitely don't want to hear it from us.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Thanksgiving Rewind: 2017

November 26th, 2021

7:44

This Thanksgiving week, we're checking in on our discussions from past years to see how our objects of gratitude have changed, or not. Today, in honor of Black Friday, we look at what our purchasing plans were back in …

Thanksgiving Rewind: 2018

November 25th, 2021

7:13

This Thanksgiving week, we're checking in on our discussions from past years to see how our objects of gratitude have changed, or not. Today, we …

Thanksgiving Rewind: 2019

November 24th, 2021

10:53

This Thanksgiving week, we're checking in on our discussions from past years to see how our objects of gratitude have changed, or not. Today, we travel back to the fall of 2019, when we had no idea what was about to hit …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso and Only Murders in the Building Season 1 Finales

November 23rd, 2021

15:15

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we wrapped up season 1 of both of the series we've been catching up on. Ted Lasso's "The Hope That Kills You" was every bit as bittersweet and heartwarming as the rest of the …

Thanksgiving Rewind: 2020

November 22nd, 2021

10:45

This Thanksgiving week, we're checking in on our discussions from past years to see how our objects of gratitude have changed, or not. Today, we're flashing back just one year, to the first Covid Thanksgiving.

This show …

Speed-Round Sunday: Overrated Books, Movies, and TV

November 21st, 2021

8:21

Nicole's questioning of her husband's movie taste led us to a chat about works of entertainment we just can't get on the bandwagon with, from Harry …

Second-Listen Saturday: Instant Adulthood

November 20th, 2021

10:01

Happy birthday to Nicole's daughter, who just turned 18! Who know that meant she was supposed to be a fully functioning, 100% independent adult …

Roundabout Roundup: Dexter: New Blood, Red (Taylor’s Version), and Blair Braverman

November 19th, 2021

9:14

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, something to watch, to listen to, and to read: Nicole's excited for the return of Dexter in Dexter: New Blood on …

The High Price of Parenting

November 18th, 2021

11:15

Last week, we talked about parenting costs that are worth paying. Today, the flip side: Prices we paid very grudgingly or not at all. Mentioned: "People Are Sharing Things They Think Are Way Overpriced" at Buzzfeed [

Who Has the Time?

November 17th, 2021

13:11

If you already have your home decorated for Christmas, complete with wrapped gifts under the tree, this episode may not be for you. Or maybe it is, so you can tell us how exactly you found time to do all that. Because …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso and Only Murders in the Building S1 E9

November 16th, 2021

15:45

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we're at the penultimate episode of season one for both series, so these episodes were all about putting …

What's Your Mom Flex?

November 15th, 2021

11:51

After Roxy (grrfeisty on Instagram) posted about her "mom flex" [https://www.instagram.com/p/CWFLMz2tN5z/], we got over our fear of parenting jinxes to talk about our own flexes. We're not taking credit for these …

Speed-Round Sunday: Are You a Covers-Stealer?

November 14th, 2021

5:06

Covers flinging, pillow stealing, preferred bed size, dog bed hogs, and more bedtime issues have our attention today.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, …

Second-Listen Saturday: The No-Win Screen-Time Situation

November 13th, 2021

10:45

The latest study on screen time and its evils [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190109114811.htm] left us sighing and justifying our lack of limits. Since we can't seem to cut back on our own use, it's …

Roundabout Roundup: Uncommon Caribbean, Facebook Groups, and Anti-Fatigue Floor Mat

November 12th, 2021

6:07

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine shouts out the travel site and shop Uncommon Caribbean [https://www.uncommoncaribbean.com/], for a …

Parenting Money Well Spent

November 11th, 2021

13:10

We obsess about the parenting purchases, big and small, that were worth every penny. It's hard to put a price tag on cozy family time (or more freedom for Mom).

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Holiday Happenings and Headaches

November 10th, 2021

11:20

When you have adult children, and they have significant others, holiday planning gets complicated. It was easier with little kids, who didn't have …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso and Only Murders in the Building, S1 E8

November 9th, 2021

18:39

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Ted Lasso gave us a rollicking episode starring the Diamond Dogs (the advice-giving posse of Coach …

Tattoo Talk

November 8th, 2021

13:30

Have you had your body engraved with a permanent piece of art? Would you ever? What about us, and our kids? We're talking about it all on this …

Speed-Round Sunday: What Time of Day Do You Most Dread?

November 7th, 2021

5:09

It's that time of day that goes by really slow. Or that time of day that goes by way too fast. And maybe, depending on who you're talking to, those are the same time of day.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime …

Second-Listen Saturday: The Old College Try

November 6th, 2021

11:43

What are parents obsessing about right now? At Nicole's house, it's everything about the going-to-college process, from applying to deciding to (of …

Roundabout Roundup: Nostalgic Playlist, 45-Snack Care Package, and Invisibilia Podcast

November 5th, 2021

7:54

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Terri suggests revisiting the hits of the '70s with her Apple Music playlist, "Sounds Like Old Times" [

How Far Would You Go to Help Your Kid?

November 4th, 2021

15:59

Inspired by a recent episode of Only Murders in the Building, we're obsessing about how far might go to fix things for our kids. While we wouldn't …

Parent Saving Time

November 3rd, 2021

9:41

As recompense for Daylight Saving Time, we have decided to declare Parent Saving Time that we can implement whenever we need to spring forward or …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso and Only Murders in the Building S1 E7

November 2nd, 2021

18:06

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: Ted Lasso's "Make Rebecca Great Again" brought all the feels, as Ted faced his divorce papers, Nate …

The Perils of Praise

November 1st, 2021

11:46

Parents always hear that positive reinforcement and praise are critical when raising kids, but we've encountered a few children who kinda hate being …

Speed-Round Sunday: What’s in Your Freezer?

October 31st, 2021

5:10

Depending on which one of us you're visiting, you might find barbecue sauce, bread, or waffles. But don't count on ice cubes.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this …

Second-Listen Saturday: Jury Deliberations

October 30th, 2021

15:38

Complaining about jury duty is a perennial topic, but we've managed to find a new, parenting-related twist on it. Would you make the same decision …

Roundabout Roundup: Meland Halloween Inflatables, Cecilia’s Farms Dried Bartlett Pears, and Harvest Snaps

October 29th, 2021

5:50

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Speaking of Halloween decorations (as we were yesterday), Nicole's recommending her cute, kid-friendly Halloween …

Do You Decorate for Halloween?

October 28th, 2021

13:20

Is it just us our neighborhoods, or are people getting way more into Halloween decor than they used to? From the cute to the gory, we're seeing …

Feelings About Fundraisers

October 27th, 2021

14:23

If you're a parent, you've dealt with fundraisers, whether as an annoyance or an essential way to allow your child to participate in an activity (or, most likely, a little bit of both). While nothing can touch Girl …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso and Only Murders in the Building S1 E6

October 26th, 2021

18:57

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Ted Lasso continued with its bittersweet tugs on our hearts in "Two Aces." We got to meet the "Golden …

Parenting Jinxes

October 25th, 2021

10:54

It's a very common piece of parenting advice: Positive reinforcement! Praise kids when they do something right! But we're afraid of jinxing ourselves when we do this. So we tend to back slowly away.

This show is part of …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Buy Used Items?

October 24th, 2021

6:43

We've had some luck buying stuff from Goodwill and giving stuff away on Freecycle. Also mentioned: Craigslist, Oodle, Sell.com, Facebook Marketplace, NextDoor.com.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you …

Second-Listen Saturday: Should Parents Be Talking Out of School?

October 23rd, 2021

10:39

An incident at Catherine's daughter's high school got us talking about talking: As in, when parents gossip about what's going on at school without …

Roundabout Roundup: Authory, Guttylief Lumbar Support Pillow, and Culver’s Pumpkin Concrete Mixer

October 22nd, 2021

6:32

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Speaking of roundups, Terri has rounded up much of her online writing at Authory, a service for creating a digital …

Parenting Wish Lists

October 21st, 2021

12:38

Today, we obsess about what we'd put on a parenting wish list at this stage of the game. Our picks range from the mundane and practical to the truly …

Dance Differences

October 20th, 2021

14:52

We thought we were going to complain about the challenges of raising boys vs. girls, especially when it comes to attending school events and dances. …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso and Only Murders in the Building S1 E5

October 19th, 2021

19:34

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, "Tan Lines" is a bittersweet episode of Ted Lasso, with a big win and an even bigger loss for Ted. Next week: S1E6, "Two Aces."

On Only Murders in the Building, the "Twist" of …

Do You Have Pandemic Nostalgia?

October 18th, 2021

11:51

After reading about pandemic nostalgia at Scary Mommy [https://www.scarymommy.com/pandemic-nostalgia-longing-early-days/], we talked about whether there's anything we miss about March/April 2020 and everything that came …

Speed-Round Sunday: Updating the Board Games of Our Youth

October 17th, 2021

4:57

We think Clue, Careers, and that game Catherine's family got at a garage sale could use some freshening up.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime …

Second-Listen Saturday: Planners Parents Need

October 16th, 2021

9:30

Calendars and planners: every parent needs one (or several), and if we could only find the perfect one, everything would just fall into place, right? …

Roundabout Roundup: The Spread Newsletter, Hartz Delectables Squeeze Ups, and Dunkin’ Pumpkin Doughnuts

October 15th, 2021

7:18

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine's enjoying The Spread [https://www.thespread.media/], a newsletter for people who miss print magazines. …

Don’t Teach Your Children Well

October 13th, 2021

13:20

On this week's Round 3, we're complaining about some of the things we were taught as kids, and that we were expected to teach our own kids. Because some of them just don't make sense.

This show is part of the Spreaker …

What We're Watching: Ted Lasso and Only Murders in the Building S1 E4

October 12th, 2021

22:40

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we continue with our two half-hour comedies. On the sunnier one, Ted Lasso, we got our first look at Rebecca's oily ex, Rupert, and perhaps our last look, we hope, at Keeley …

Homecoming: Not Just for High School

October 11th, 2021

11:09

'Tis the season for #hoco parades, football games. and dances, but why should high-schoolers and former high-schoolers have all the fun? There are a …

Speed-Round Sunday: Why Would You Ask Me That?

October 10th, 2021

4:33

Whether they're questions we don't want to answer in front of our kids to questions that throw us into an existential career crisis, we recall some questions we wish we'd never been asked.

This show is part of the …

Second-Listen Saturday: Car Trip Complaints

October 9th, 2021

11:35

Complaint day is a regular feature on Parenting Roundabout, and this week's subject is car trips with kids. So much to not like: arguments over the …

Roundabout Roundup: Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas, Artful Agenda, and Off the Eaten Path

October 8th, 2021

9:21

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Nicole shouts out Las Vegas's Hofbrauhaus [https://www.hofbrauhauslasvegas.com/], where it's Oktoberfest 12 months …

Family Background Check

October 7th, 2021

14:59

Our Canadian was raised to be proud of her Australian roots, two of us are Italian by marriage, and two of our kids were born in Russia but don't recall their lives there. Mostly, we're all-American mutts who enjoy …

Hating Recess

October 6th, 2021

14:02

Our kids are pretty far removed from recess time at this point, but we still managed to muster up plenty of complaints about their time in the …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso and Only Murders in the Building S1 E3

October 5th, 2021

18:44

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, the third episode of Ted Lasso's first season, "Trent Crimm: The Independent," brought us more Roy Kent and more Keeley, along with two-tone hair reporter Trent Crimm--who of …

Making a Parenting Match

October 4th, 2021

11:54

On today's Round 1, we talked about what we'd need in a matchmaking app for parent friends: filters for drama, housekeeping standards, and kids' willingness to go with the flow. It's a tall order, but we know there's an …

Speed-Round Sunday: What's Your Favorite Kind of Cake?

October 3rd, 2021

4:53

​Some of us have specific requirements for cake, but others? You had us at "cake."

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at

Second-Listen Saturday: Our Finger on the Pulse of Parenting Books

October 2nd, 2021

12:31

We scan Amazon's lists for best-selling [https://amzn.to/2R82GyX] and most-wished-for [https://amzn.to/2LSle0x] parenting books (or should we say …

Roundabout Roundup: Team Rubicon, Gobble, and Opera Browser Screenshots

October 1st, 2021

7:12

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine shouts out Team Rubicon [https://teamrubiconusa.org/service/], a charitable organization founded by …

Working Hard, or Hardly Working?

September 30th, 2021

14:49

When one of our children decided they needed a week's vacation from their part-time job, we started obsessing about work ethic, and whether it's …

No Checks, Please

September 29th, 2021

14:40

A bill for $8.82 for a phone conversation kicked off a complaint about analog bill-paying. Please take our money electronically if you really want it!

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

What We’re Watching: Ted Lasso and Only Murders in the Building S1 E2

September 28th, 2021

20:09

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, both shows we're watching blossomed in their second episodes. On Ted Lasso ("Biscuits"), we are getting to know the main characters better (and some of the peripheral ones …

What's Your Retirement Plan?

September 27th, 2021

12:22

In a kind of reverse retirement plan, Nicole went back to school to earn another degree. Terri's happy to work as long as she can see her computer …

Speed-Round Sunday: What's Your Favorite Beverage?

September 26th, 2021

5:44

We have our faves, sure, but it depends on whether we're at a restaurant or home; or it's morning or evening; or we're in the US or Canada.​

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in …

Roundabout Roundup: Bone-Building Foods, Whistler, and Kut from the Kloth

September 24th, 2021

14:48

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Much to Nicole's dismay, Terri tried sardines (to strengthen her bones) and described the experience in great …

Family Food Obsessions

September 23rd, 2021

11:41

Somehow ketchup chips did not even come up in this discussion of family food habits and obsessions. But you will find out who refuses leftovers, who eats whatever's put in front of her, and why Valley Popcorn [

Roommate Tales

September 22nd, 2021

14:33

With two of our daughters newly experiencing roommate life, we shared our stories of unwelcome boyfriends, unpalatable communal meals, and ungenerous toilet-paper monitors.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime …

What We’re Watching: "Ted Lasso" and "Only Murders in the Building" Pilots

September 21st, 2021

18:32

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we kick off two new series watches. First, we finally get on the Ted Lasso train to see what all the …

Tag-Team Parenting

September 20th, 2021

12:36

Thanks to an old article about Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard [https://people.com/parents/kristen-bell-tag-team-parenting-dax-shepard/] getting some …

Speed-Round Sunday: What TV Channel Do You Wish Existed?

September 19th, 2021

6:06

Though it seems like we already have too many channels to watch, we can still think of a few we wish we could see — whether they don't exist yet or …

Roundabout Roundup: Jackson Galaxy, Teenager Pro Tips, and Flymachine

September 17th, 2021

7:20

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Nicole shouts out Jackson Galaxy (on YouTube) for his excellent advice on caring for cats [

A Little Sympathy, Please

September 16th, 2021

11:36

When our kids were small, we fussed over their boo-boos and sniffles. Now that we're ... a little older, we're the ones with the owies, and we would …

Kids' Toy Complaints

September 15th, 2021

14:46

We are relieved to have missed out on slime, but there are still plenty of kids' toys (and music, and buggy pets) that we can grumble about. Plus: …

What We’re Watching: The Station Agent and Come From Away

September 14th, 2021

25:56

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we caught up with the movie The Station Agent (2003), which has been patiently waiting at the station …

Lies and Lucky Accidents

September 13th, 2021

13:16

Today we're talking about child hacks, those little lies and maneuvers parents employ to make life easier, like "the Tooth Fairy doesn't come until you fall asleep!" and "I just have no idea where your pacifier is!" …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Play Video Games?

September 12th, 2021

5:16

We talk about the video games we've played, the video games we've watched other people play, and the apps we'd like to call video games.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in …

Second-Listen Saturday: Parenting Dos and Don'ts

September 11th, 2021

20:50

A Facebook post prompted a discussion of some of our parenting goals (and some of the ways we judge others and/or ourselves). Mentioned: A past episode about kids and conversation [

Roundabout Roundup: Flipflop Solitaire, Young Sheldon, and Orii Kitchen Spice Rack

September 10th, 2021

5:31

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Terri has another phone game to shout out: Flipflop Solitaire [http://www.flipflopsolitaire.com/]. Nicole's been …

Cat and Dog Decisions

September 9th, 2021

15:04

Yesterday we complained about kids' unwanted opinions, and today we're obsessing about family members' conflicting opinions about adding a furry friend to the mix. It all started because a kitten literally fell into …

Unsolicited Opinions

September 8th, 2021

10:34

As our kids get older, they seem to get more opinionated, particularly about topics that used to be exclusively the domain of the parents. Like …

What We’re Watching: Schmigadoon!

September 7th, 2021

17:46

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: Catherine was won over by the star-studded musical parody Schmigadoon!. Terri wasn't, quite, but still enjoyed some of the silliness and all of the performances. Mentioned: …

Reality Show Challenges for Parents

September 6th, 2021

11:11

Terri and Catherine recently finished watching Making It [https://www.parentingroundaboutpodcast.com/blog/what-were-watching-making-it-and-coda], a TV crafting competition. It's getting a cooking spin-off, of course …

Speed-Round Sunday: What First Attracted You to Your Spouse?

September 5th, 2021

4:53

Did he have a nice hairdo? Did he wear a very stylish shirt? Was he simply, blessedly available? We look back at the things that made our guys stand out.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Second-Listen Saturday: Saying Goodbye to a Pet

September 4th, 2021

26:32

For Terri's family, the loss is fresh. But we've all experienced the death of a beloved dog, and helping our kids through it.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this …

Roundabout Roundup: Cheap Old Houses, #wethe15, Vienna Fingers

September 3rd, 2021

7:09

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine recommends Cheap Old Houses [https://www.hgtv.com/shows/cheap-old-houses], a fun new non-competitive …

Our Best School Strategies

September 2nd, 2021

14:28

We have suggestions for helping your child succeed at school, and they range from minimal effort (5 minutes a day!) to "You're here again?" levels of …

Yard Sign Celebrations

September 1st, 2021

12:13

A yard sign installation celebrating a child's first day of third grade (!) prompted us to complain about where this ends (billboards? fireworks?) and why we don't get signs celebrating our achievements.

This show is …

What We’re Watching: Making It and CODA

August 31st, 2021

24:36

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we made it to the end of Making It. We congratulate the winner for his very happy-looking shed [

Wedding Do-Overs

August 30th, 2021

15:21

Nicole's ready to rethink it all, Terri wouldn't change a thing (not even the bridesmaids' dresses), and Catherine's somewhere in the middle. If you …

Speed-Round Sunday: What's Your Favorite Poem?

August 29th, 2021

5:16

Whether you're into hifalutin rhymes, delightful children's verse, or stuff that will make Terri have to dig out the bleep sound effect again, we've …

Second-Listen Saturday: Hometown Connections

August 28th, 2021

19:21

​While Terri has lived in New Jersey for many years, she grew up in Thousand Oaks, California, which was hit with two tragedies in one week back in 2018 when we originally recorded this episode. We discussed how …

Roundabout Roundup: The Hat Restaurant, iPhone Spotlight, and “You Shine”

August 27th, 2021

7:35

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Nicole shouts out The Hat restaurant [https://www.thehat.com/], which helped her time-travel back to her teenage …

Assigned Seats

August 26th, 2021

12:09

We heard a stat saying that two-thirds of people have unofficial assigned seats in their cars, on their couches, and at their dining tables. We thought everyone did this!

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, …

The Internet Knows Too Much

August 25th, 2021

11:03

Yes, we're aware that there's no such thing as privacy online. But how does Facebook know our bra size? And could TikTok be eavesdropping on our …

What We’re Watching: Making It and Veronica Mars Season 4 Wrap-Up

August 24th, 2021

28:00

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we've reached the semi-finals of Making It, and also discovered the makers' post-show Instagram Live events... which are possibly more fun than the show itself?! Mentioned: …

The Way Weddings Are Now

August 23rd, 2021

12:40

Now that our kids' generation is starting to get married, we did a little comparing and contrasting. We're pretty glad we never felt the pressure to come up with a wedding hashtag.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime …

Speed-Round Sunday: Would You Go Back to School?

August 22nd, 2021

4:54

Whether for an advanced degree, motivation to finish a project, or a chance for random people to destroy our will to create, we contemplate returning …

Second-Listen Saturday: The World of Work

August 21st, 2021

26:48

Time for a career check-in: ​Nicole is embarking on a new career, Catherine is pondering a switch from freelance to staff work, and Terri just works …

Roundabout Roundup: Just Add Ice Orchids, Costco Trail Mix, and Dan + Shay “Good Things”

August 20th, 2021

6:11

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine shouts out Just Add Ice orchids, because she's been able to keep hers alive (and blooming) for six …

Unexpected Back-to-School Advice

August 19th, 2021

13:14

'Tis the season--are you ready? We're here with some hard-earned advice that goes beyond "Don't forget to buy enough pencils." Have you nagged the special-ed office yet? Checked to see if last year's lunchbox still has …

Family Phrases on Repeat

August 18th, 2021

12:08

We are nothing if not predictable. If you bugged our homes, here's what you'd hear--over, and over, and over again. The major topics: Pets and meals.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested …

What We’re Watching: Making It and Kevin Can F Himself

August 17th, 2021

19:14

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Making It is back with its usual contrived stories about why these projects are happening. Let's just let the makers make stuff!

We also checked out Kevin Can F Himself, …

College in the Olden Days

August 16th, 2021

13:48

On this week's Round 1, a Tiktok (of course!) prompted us to look back nostalgically at our university years, in the time before Internet, cell phones, and laptops. You know, back when we used a quill and an inkwell to …

Speed-Round Sunday: Smoothies vs. Shakes

August 15th, 2021

5:29

Here's a this or that for you: delicious ice-cream-rich beverage, or something people use to hide spinach and worse? Yeah, Nicole and Terri are …

Second-Listen Saturday: Spooky, Scary Childhood Fears

August 14th, 2021

18:25

Some childhood fears we've gotten over. Others have stayed with us. You just never know when Jaws is going to come up through the drain of a swimming …

Roundabout Roundup: Fancy Like Video, Geoscan.show, and Knox Rose Dresses

August 13th, 2021

7:03

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Terri recommends the cheerful "Fancy Like" fan video from Walker Hayes [https://youtu.be/E08puACaHfY], which he …

The Emptying Nest, Take Two

August 12th, 2021

14:38

Last year, we fretted about Nicole's impending empty nest [https://www.parentingroundaboutpodcast.com/blog/the-emptying-nest]. And then, she got a …

New Ways to Worry About Travel

August 11th, 2021

13:55

Nicole's getting ready for her first Covid-era airplane flight, so Terri thoughtfully helps her figure out everything that could go wrong so she can …

What We’re Watching: Schitt’s Creek Sampler

August 10th, 2021

21:55

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: Terri tried Schitt's Creek, a show Catherine has watched in its entirety but Terri had never seen. We selected 5 episodes recommended by IMDB [

Free-Time Activities for Adults

August 9th, 2021

15:05

Once we're released from parenting obligations like homework supervision, chauffeuring, and attending concerts and games. we find ourselves at loose ends. Is it time to take up knitting?

This show is part of the Spreaker …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Buy Concert T-Shirts?

August 8th, 2021

4:40

​​We've got our piles of past concert souvenirs, sure, but the cost of doing memorabilia business has gotten to us in recent years.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on …

Second-Listen Saturday: Yearbooks Past and Present

August 7th, 2021

18:53

Do you still have your high school yearbook? We compare and contrast the yearbooks of our day with those of our kids.

This show is part of the …

Roundabout Roundup: Papa Cristo’s, Mush Oatmeal, and Yasso Greek Yogurt Bars

August 6th, 2021

7:41

This week’s Roundabout Roundup is a very tasty one. Nicole's shouting out her favorite Greek restaurant in Los Angeles, Papa Cristo's [

Are You Superstitious?

August 4th, 2021

12:32

On today's episode, we're obsessing about whether we're superstitious, whether it's something we learned from our parents, and whether we might be passing it on to our kids. Because really, why tempt fate when it's just …

Our Teamwork Dreams

August 4th, 2021

11:55

We complain about what it takes to be a team player (and how that works when combined with our rule-following natures) and also about how it's hard …

What We’re Watching: Making It Flashback and Practical Magic

August 3rd, 2021

25:17

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: We failed to realize that Making It would be pre-empted by a little event called the Olympic Games. So …

Degree Agreement

August 2nd, 2021

15:16

On today's Round 1, we're talking about college majors and degrees and how much influence parents have over their kids' choices. Our parents were …

Speed-Round Sunday: This or That—Activities Edition

August 1st, 2021

8:05

Printing or cursive? Board games or card games? Painting or drawing? Writing or reading? Hear our answers to this latest batch of questions and play along!

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Second-Listen Saturday: Beyond Tiger Moms and Helicopter Parents

July 31st, 2021

14:54

First it was tiger moms, then helicopter parents, then lawnmower parents and even elephant parents. Well, we can come up with click-baity parenting "styles" too!

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you …

Roundabout Roundup: Good Sudoku, Delta Faucets, and Beyond Van Gogh

July 30th, 2021

11:50

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Terri recommends the Good Sudoku app [https://www.playgoodsudoku.com/] if you're looking to play that …

Nontoxic Parenting Advice

July 29th, 2021

12:37

After last week's rant about toxic parenting advice [https://www.parentingroundaboutpodcast.com/blog/toxic-parenting-advice], we thought we should …

Under Pressure

July 28th, 2021

13:44

A tweet from author Holly Bourne [https://twitter.com/holly_bourneYA] lamenting societal pressure to sleep, eat, walk, meditate, care for our homes …

What We’re Watching: Making It and Veronica Mars “Years, Continents, Bloodshed”

July 27th, 2021

25:08

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, the mega-craft returned to Making It, along with a new project called the procrasti-craft. And we said …

Packing Our Bags for Mom Camp

July 26th, 2021

11:12

After last week's mention of summer camp for kids [https://www.parentingroundaboutpodcast.com/blog/when-kids-are-incommunicado], we started dreaming about the amenities we'd like to see at mom camp. Let us know if …

Speed-Round Sunday: Dry Skin Remedies (and Whining)

July 25th, 2021

5:22

​It's dry-skin season, at least for the two non-Californians among us, and that means either disgusting greasy lotion stickiness or constant itching. Terri's hoping for some go-to moisturizer tips. Maybe you have some? …

Second-Listen Saturday: Big Kids, Big Decisions

July 24th, 2021

21:24

Too old to fail, but too young to make smart decisions: That's the pickle we find ourselves in as our kids grow up and have to make life-determining …

Roundabout Roundup: Kitsch Microfiber Hair Towel, Samir on Instagram, and Apple One

July 23rd, 2021

6:22

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine's curly-hair journey continues; she's now acquired a Kitsch microfiber towel [

Does Your Home Have a Dress Code?

July 22nd, 2021

12:38

A recent conversation on The Bobby Bones Show [https://overcast.fm/+IvaJT4Rsg/5:31]got us obsessing: What would we do if one of our kids' teenage …

Toxic Parenting Advice

July 21st, 2021

12:02

No, we're not calling out this article for telling people how to be toxic parents [

What We’re Watching: Making It and Veronica Mars “Gods of War”

July 20th, 2021

14:59

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2: Making It observed many holidays, which makes sense for a crafting competition. It at least makes more …

When Kids Are Incommunicado

July 19th, 2021

11:02

Catherine's son is away at camp... without his phone! However will she know where he is and what he's doing?? (Turns out, what he is doing is buying candy bars at the camp store.)

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Switch Your Closet Over for the Season?

July 18th, 2021

5:27

For those with petite closets and serious weather shifts, it's the most arduous time of the year when the T-shirts and shorts go away and the sweaters and long pants emerge. No need for that in your life? Know that …

Second-Listen Saturday: Risky Business

July 17th, 2021

18:23

We debate safety vs. strength: Do we want our kids to take risks in order to become strong? Would it surprise you to learn we can't answer such a …

Roundabout Roundup: Cucina Fruits and Passion Hand Cream, A Bit Above Podcast, Latuza Pajamas

July 16th, 2021

6:04

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Nicole's loving the look, scent, and feel of Cucina Fruits and Passion Regenerating Hand Cream [

No Thanks to Pranks

July 14th, 2021

11:22

We agree with this Scary Mommy writer, who calls herself "a grumpy spoilsport who hates pranks and teasing." We just don't see the humor in someone …

What We’re Watching: Making It and Veronica Mars “Entering a World of Pain”

July 13th, 2021

22:45

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, the Making It makers make just one "MEGA CRAFT!!!," which still leaves us with too many comedy bits and personal stories and not enough crafting. We just want to see people …

Family Social Media Collaborations

July 12th, 2021

12:30

Collab? It's cute when family members create content together (like Walker Hayes's "Fancy Like" dances with his daughter), but our kids have …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Keep Your Kids' Old Toys?

July 11th, 2021

6:20

There's a nostalgic tug that keeps us from throwing away those toys our kids outgrew ... and also a sharp memory of how much money we paid for that stuff. Let's just go with the sentimental angle, shall we?

This show is …

Second-Listen Saturday: Commandments and Consequences

July 10th, 2021

14:25

Thou shalt obey these rules: We set out to make a list of 10 Commandments for How to Treat Parents. Guess how many we actually came up with?

This show …

Roundabout Roundup: The Great Pottery Throwdown, Temecula Wine Country, the Podcast on Pinterest

July 9th, 2021

5:40

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine shouts out The Great Pottery Throwdown [

When Playground Safety Goes Too Far

July 8th, 2021

10:45

We know everyone's out of practice with the outside world after months of lockdown. But is it really necessary to measure the hand grips on the monkey bars before your kids play, as this article suggests [

Indulgent Interruptions

July 7th, 2021

13:31

We complain about those times when an adorable moppet inserts themselves into an adult conversation (or meeting), usually at the parent's invitation. …

What We’re Watching: Making It and Veronica Mars “Losing Streak”

July 6th, 2021

25:20

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, the Making It makers created with (but didn't bake) cookies and then built little lending libraries for …

Philanthropic Dreams

July 5th, 2021

9:06

When we heard about Ariana Grande giving away $1 million in free therapy services, we started brainstorming about what kind of benefactors we'd be if we had the funds--like create an elite squad of customer service …

Speed-Round Sunday: Cookbook Inventory

July 4th, 2021

5:52

Brainstorming Speed Round questions in the kitchen brought recent topics on Tupperware [https://www.parentingroundaboutpodcast.com/blog/speed-round-sunday-tupperware-inventory] and refrigerators [

Second-Listen Saturday: Vacation Dreams

July 3rd, 2021

12:36

Inspired by a Facebook post [https://www.facebook.com/grownandflown/posts/1498189386947803], we dream up fantasy vacations. It turns out we care very little about luxury accommodations or exotic destinations. What we …

Roundabout Roundup: Mophie Powerstation Wireless Charger, SunGrow Cat Recovery Cone, Ready-Made Meals

July 2nd, 2021

9:32

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Terri has a powerful new phone charger that solves the problem of missing and decomposing charger cords [

Questionable Birthday Gifts for Moms

July 1st, 2021

13:02

Terri's birthday was yesterday, and Catherine's is next week. But don't rely on these idea lists from New York magazine [https://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-birthday-gifts-for-mom.html], Etsy] [

Moms Have Feelings Too

June 30th, 2021

14:06

Today we're complaining about that fine line between showing our kids compassion and unconditional love, and teaching them that it's not okay to hurt our feelings just because we're moms. Because being …

What We’re Watching: Making It and Veronica Mars “Heads You Lose”

June 29th, 2021

21:44

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we welcome the return of Making It, the crafty, punny competition show hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. While episode 1 of season 3 contained maybe more crying than …

Pandemic Graduation, Take 2

June 28th, 2021

13:29

With graduation season wrapping up, we talk about how things went for the class of 2021, and how the class of 2020 might be feeling about that. Plus, …

Speed-Round Sunday: Favorite Easy Household Fixes

June 27th, 2021

7:32

Terri's ongoing war with coffee-dive-bombing gnats led to a chat about satisfying homemade fixes for everyday annoyances ... like apple-cider-vinegar traps for GNATS GNATS GNATS! (Mentioned: our Tupperware abundance [

Second-Listen Saturday: Parenting Job Descriptions

June 26th, 2021

13:36

We take a look at our LinkedIn profiles and wonder whether we should add positions like "life coach," "chauffeur," "employment counselor," and even …

Roundabout Roundup: Coredy Robot Vacuum Cleaner, City Services, and In the Heights

June 25th, 2021

7:44

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole has upgraded her robot vacuum [

Meeting the Parents

June 24th, 2021

11:41

What is the protocol for reaching out to your kid's significant other's parents... during/after a pandemic? We don't think Miss Manners has an entry …

Wildlife Invasions

June 23rd, 2021

15:21

Spiders and mice and bunnies, oh my! Nicole has a traumatic tale to share, and then we discuss our criteria for gently escorting critters outside vs. …

What We’re Watching: Let Them All Talk and Veronica Mars “Keep Calm and Party On”

June 22nd, 2021

20:59

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we took a soothing voyage on the Queen Mary with the Steven Soderbergh movie Let Them All Talk. Nothing really happened, but we still enjoyed watching the ocean go by with …

Sleepover Trendspotting

June 21st, 2021

10:34

According to this Wall Street Journal article [https://www.wsj.com/articles/tent-sleepovers-the-extravagant-party-kids-are-craving-in-2021-11622059882], fancy tent sleepovers are all the rage right now. So the way we …

Speed-Round Sunday: Tupperware Inventory

June 20th, 2021

5:27

How is it we have so many Tupperware items? They multiply, don't you think? And why can we never find the right lid? We compare notes on …

Travel Throwback: Vacation Reentry

June 19th, 2021

12:16

We're away this week, but bringing you some of our past chats all about vacations and traveling--now that that's becoming a thing we can do again. Today, two speed rounds on the places we'd go.

From February 2020: When …

Travel Throwback: If Airlines Had Family Class

June 18th, 2021

13:39

We're away this week, but bringing you some of our past chats all about vacations and traveling--now that that's becoming a thing we can do again. Today, two speed rounds on the places we'd go.

From June 2019: Hey, …

Travel Throwback: Seeing the World

June 17th, 2021

8:21

We're away this week, but bringing you some of our past chats all about vacations and traveling--now that that's becoming a thing we can do again. Today, two speed rounds on the places we'd go.

From June 2018: "If …

Travel Throwback: Car Trip Complaints

June 16th, 2021

12:02

We're away this week, but bringing you some of our past chats all about vacations and traveling--now that that's becoming a thing we can do again.

Wednesdays are complaint day on Parenting Roundabout, and this week's …

Travel Throwback: Pre-Travel Prep

June 15th, 2021

11:22

We're away this week, but bringing you some of our past chats all about vacations and traveling--now that that's becoming a thing we can do again.

From June 2019: Summer brings travel, and travel brings us such a lengthy …

Travel Throwback: Travel Trouble

June 14th, 2021

12:35

We're away this week, but bringing you some of our past chats all about vacations and traveling--now that that's becoming a thing we can do again.

In May 2019, we obsessed about online travel booking. Instead of being …

Speed-Round Sunday: Candy This or That

June 13th, 2021

8:08

We've previously gone on record with our dessert decisions (or indecisiveness). Today, we play "this or that" with hard candy vs. gummy, chocolate …

Second-Listen Saturday: Born Too Late, or Too Early

June 12th, 2021

14:35

​New parents today have access to tons of cool gear we never got to use, and we’re sad about that. But we're also complaining about what our own …

Roundabout Roundup: All-City Band Concert, Lavsils Push Pop Bubble Toys, and Peonies

June 11th, 2021

8:11

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri's enjoying an innovation in school band concerts that cuts an interminable evening down to a crisp 3 minutes[

Happy Father’s Day, Dad

June 10th, 2021

10:02

Last month, we shouted out our moms [https://www.parentingroundaboutpodcast.com/blog/happy-mothers-day-mom]. So with Father's Day approaching, it's our dads' turn, as we tell you a little bit about the fathers who …

Pop Culture Problems

June 9th, 2021

11:04

We'd like to share some of the movies and TV shows we used to love with our kids. But some of it hasn't aged well, and some of it was scary then and is scary now. But the biggest problem is that it's associated with us. …

What We’re Watching: Friends Reunion and Veronica Mars “Chino and the Man”

June 8th, 2021

25:45

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we caught up with the Friends reunion show and got a case of whiplash in the process. It was quite a grab bag of segments, emotions, guest stars, costumes, and other …

Life Skills Lessons We’d Like to See

June 7th, 2021

13:51

Schools often teach teens important life skills like cooking and how to manage money. But we think they should also teach "How to advocate for …

Speed-Round Sunday: Student Award Suggestions

June 6th, 2021

5:47

Recently, we talked seriously about some possible additions to valedictorian in honoring high-school seniors [

Second-Listen Saturday: Those Little-Kid Days

June 5th, 2021

11:58

​We had to comment on an article in which a mom claims not to miss even a minute of her kids' baby and toddler days [https://www.scarymommy.com/why-i-dont-miss-having-little-kids/]. Mentioned: Our speed round on …

Roundabout Roundup: Third Love, Scrap Paper App, and Cable Clips

June 4th, 2021

7:12

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine is shouting out a company that was an early adopter of podcast advertising: Third Love and its very comfy bras and lounge wear [https://www.thirdlove.com/]. Terri finds the …

Going On a Mom Strike

June 3rd, 2021

10:31

Nicole's on a Mom Strike, and it's not working out so well. As fellow members of the Mom Union, we stand in solidarity with her in this time of need. …

What We’re Watching: Nomadland and Veronica Mars “Spring Break Forever”

June 1st, 2021

18:18

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we watched a movie! We were both curious about Academy Award-winner Nomadland, and are pleased to have …

Unable to Accentuate the Positive

May 31st, 2021

10:56

An article titled "Use These Positive Phrases to Avoid Conflict With Your Kids" [https://lifehacker.com/use-these-positive-parenting-phrases-to-avoid-conflict-1846972139] got us talking about how positive parenting is …

Speed-Round Sunday: Products We Have Loved and Lost

May 30th, 2021

5:55

Is there a product you took for granted that you can't find anymore? Nicole's searching for a remove-dog-hair-from-upholstery item, and Terri is …

Second-Listen Saturday: Summer Then and Now

May 29th, 2021

11:00

It's no surprise that our kids' experiences are a lot less free-range than our own were. But we did find at least one common thread.​

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising …

Roundabout Roundup: Breaking Bobby Bones, Starbucks Pink Drink, and Claeys Candy

May 28th, 2021

7:42

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Terri suggests you check out Breaking Bobby Bones [https://nationalgeographicpartners.com/2021/02/breaking-bobby-bones/], debuting on the National Geographic channel on May 31 and …

Secret Handshakes and Inside Jokes

May 27th, 2021

11:17

Inspired by a conversation on the Bobby Bones Show podcast [https://www.iheart.com/podcast/139-bobby-bones-show-25100459/], we ask: What secret …

Who Are You Calling Cheugy?

May 26th, 2021

10:46

We wade into, and complain about, the debate over who, or what, is "cheugy" [https://www.cnet.com/how-to/what-does-the-word-cheugy-mean-and-how-do-you-know-if-you-are-a-cheug-a-guide/]. We like Instagram and Ugg boots …

What We’re Watching and Listening To: Girls5Eva Episodes 5-8 and the Veronica Mars Investigations Podcast

May 25th, 2021

17:43

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we watched the second half of Girls5Eva (episodes 5-8), which was just as silly as part 1. If you haven't checked out this joke machine yet, do yourself a favor and cue it up.

Not That Kind of Family

May 24th, 2021

13:53

We are definitely not judging the kinds of families who pose for beautiful professional photos or make t-shirt quilts or go all out to support their …

Speed-Round Sunday: Beyond Valedictorians

May 23rd, 2021

8:16

With some school districts considering ditching the valedictorian designation due to out-of-control competitiveness, we propose some other efforts …

Second-Listen Saturday: Name That Tune

May 22nd, 2021

14:21

We name the tunes that put little ones to sleep, perk up a road trip—check out Terri's creative strategy!—and, of course, annoy our kids profoundly.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested …

Roundabout Roundup: The Best We Could Do, SmartSweets Candy, and The Dodo

May 21st, 2021

7:28

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine recommends a graphic-novel style illustrated memoir called The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui. Nicole's …

Improving the Parent Portal

May 20th, 2021

12:07

We have a love/hate relationship with the parent portal, that online peek into our kids' school. Some of us want more information (a lot more) and …

What’s Bugging You?

May 19th, 2021

13:30

This week we are visiting the Minor Annoyances Division of the Complaint Department, with stops at old favorites like bad customer service, weird …

What We’re Watching: ZEP “Zoey’s Extraordinary Goodbye” and Girls5Eva Episodes 1-4

May 18th, 2021

21:35

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, we said goodbye to Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, season 2, with (almost) everyone in a pretty happy place. Since season 3 isn't a done deal yet, we can live with that.

And to …

Proud Mom Moments

May 17th, 2021

11:01

We step back and take a look at what we admire about our kids, including their humor, resilience, and loyalty. We'd be proud of them even if it wasn't part of our job description.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Have a Garden?

May 16th, 2021

5:30

Having talked about things growing indoors last week [https://www.parentingroundaboutpodcast.com/blog/speed-round-sunday-do-you-have-houseplants], we move to the wild outdoors to see if Catherine and Terri can at least …

Second-Listen Saturday: We'll Be the Judge

May 15th, 2021

17:44

Is it ever okay for parents to luxuriate in first class while their kiddos are back in the cheap seats with strangers [https://www.popsugar.com/moms/Kirstie-Allsopp-Flies-Business-Class-Kids-Coach-44903071]? We make the …

The Perfect Personalized Subscription Box

May 13th, 2021

11:24

You can get a themed collection of just about anything delivered to you on a regular basis these days. But so far we haven't found boxes especially …

A New Benefit Plan for Moms

May 12th, 2021

10:44

Terri's son's employer offers some useful benefits to part-timers. As this mom gig we have means way more than full-time hours, we'd like to see some …

What We're Watching: ZEP "Zoey's Extraordinary Session" and the Veronica Mars Movie

May 11th, 2021

22:46

On Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, we got the back story on Zoey and Mo, Zoey and Max, Zoey and SprqPoint, and even David and Emily. And most …

The Nice Things Kids Do

May 10th, 2021

11:18

Last week, we bragged about all the nice things we do for our kids [https://www.parentingroundaboutpodcast.com/blog/the-nice-things-we-do]. Today, we check in to see if they ever return the favor (even when it's not …

Speed-Round Sunday: Do You Have Houseplants?

May 9th, 2021

7:05

Catherine and Terri both have black thumbs, but Nicole ... ah, Nicole used to be a houseplant person. Listen to her sad, sad plant story. (Mentioned: …

Second-Listen Saturday: Carpenters and Gardeners

May 8th, 2021

11:25

Our discussion of this article on parenting styles [

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom

May 6th, 2021

11:24

Our moms have taken their lumps on this podcast a time or two, so today we share some of the things we appreciate about them and what they've done for us. It's our Mother's Day gift. Mentioned: StoryWorth on Roundabout …

Just Trying to Help

May 5th, 2021

11:39

Catherine complains about trying, and failing, to help her kid with schoolwork. Terri and Nicole offer a ton of helpful suggestions--most of which …

What We’re Watching: ZEP “Zoey’s Extraordinary Double Date” and Veronica Mars Season 3 Finale

May 4th, 2021

26:16

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist returned after a short vacation and proceeded to meddle in and muddle up everyone's love life, including her own. Can't a heroine be happy once in awhile? Next: "Zoey's Extraordinary …

The Nice Things We Do

May 3rd, 2021

11:43

We list some of the favors and gestures we offer our kids just to be nice. Of course, "nice" is sometimes in the eye of the beholder.

This show is …

Speed-Round Sunday: What TV Show Should Be Revived?

May 2nd, 2021

5:05

We long for the return of The Brady Bunch, thirtysomething, and Trading Spaces. (And also kind of butcher the Brady Bunch theme song.)

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising …

Second-Listen Saturday: Privacy Policies

May 1st, 2021

15:27

With six teens and young adults among us, there is a lot of disappearing into bedrooms. The challenge: Striking a balance between privacy and family …

Roundabout Roundup: Instagram Babies, Apple Watch, and Cards for a Cause

April 30th, 2021

9:46

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: If your Instagram feed is baby-deficient, Terri has the solution: Follow Dancing with the Stars pros Lindsay …

Parent-Child Learning

April 29th, 2021

10:37

After reading this New York Times article [https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/20/well/family/parents-kids-learn-new-skills.html] about parents and kids taking classes and learning new skills together, we obsessed about …

Give Us Credit for Worrying

April 28th, 2021

10:58

A New York Times article [https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/parenting/women-gender-gap-domestic-work.html] about the cognitive labor that moms do (like anticipating problems and worrying about them until they're done) …

What We’re Watching: Veronica Mars Season 3 Episodes 18 and 19

April 27th, 2021

19:20

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist was off, so we took on two episodes of Veronica Mars, season 3: "I Know What You'll Do This Summer" and "Weevils Wobble But They Don't Go Down." …

Grandparenting Roundabout

April 26th, 2021

12:14

Jumping off an article on Grown and Flown, we talk about how we were grandparented, how our kids were, and how our kids' kids will be when it's our turn. You'll hear about it on our spin-off podcast!

This show is part of …

Speed-Round Sunday: Your Next Home-Renovation Project

April 25th, 2021

5:04

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure. This week: With Terri's bathroom finally finished (yay!), she's thinking of which disaster in her home will move to the …

Second-Listen Saturday: Mildly Peevish

April 24th, 2021

15:27

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This time, ​we tried to rant about our kids, but it didn't really work out. We reserve the right to try again at any …

Roundabout Roundup: Storm Radar App, My Mochi, and Fearless (Taylor’s Version)

April 23rd, 2021

9:39

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Nicole is keeping an eye on the sky with the Storm Radar app [

Helping Kids See Pandemic Positives

April 22nd, 2021

11:36

We continue to obsess about the pandemic and its effects on kids. Today, we appreciate this New York Times article [

Do Kids Have a Right to Privacy?

April 21st, 2021

12:01

Prompted by a discussion on the Bobby Bones Show [https://bobbybones.iheart.com/], we ask whether our kids have a right to privacy. If you know they have a diary, are you going to bust into that bad boy with a paper …

What We’re Watching: ZEP “Zoey’s Extraordinary Girls’ Night” and Veronica Mars “Debasement Tapes”

April 20th, 2021

18:49

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Zoey's powers weighed heavily on her as she tried to help her sister-in-law, Emily, with a serious problem--while her mom was out on the town with Bernadette Peters.

In …

The Impossible Missions of Parenting

April 19th, 2021

11:52

We dream about all we could accomplish if we had an elite team of military forces at our disposal (and maybe pat ourselves on the back for taking on …

Speed-Round Sunday: Are You a Digital Hoarder?

April 18th, 2021

7:29

If you think we're the kind of people who keep our digital storage neat and trim, you've forgotten that Nicole's phone has nine screens of apps.

This …

Second-Listen Saturday: Spoilers

April 17th, 2021

16:53

Who are you calling over-indulgent? It's time for another discussion of "a parenting article [

Roundabout Roundup: Origin Beanie, Banana Republic Factory, and Glow Up

April 16th, 2021

8:33

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Terri's keeping her ears warm with the Crimson beanie from Origin [

Which Movie Mom Are You?

April 15th, 2021

9:11

On today's Round 4, we obsess about movie moms: Who do we identify with and admire? Who has that mom mojo that we'd like a little of? Mentioned: ET, the Harry Potter series, Almost Famous, and the Bad Moms series.

This …

Go Ahead, Ruin My Day

April 14th, 2021

8:50

From a cold shower to calling the cable company, we complain about those frustrations that turn an ordinary day into a very annoying one.

This show is …

What We’re Watching: ZEP “Zoey’s Extraordinary Mystery” and Veronica Mars “Un-American Graffiti”

April 13th, 2021

19:11

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, both of our protagonists are solving mysteries as Zoey's powers glitch and Veronica takes on a case of …

How We Became Moms

April 12th, 2021

21:56

It's our version of the old TLC show "A Baby Story"! Your three podcasters have three very different birth and adoption stories, each with their …

Speed-Round Sunday: Annoying Tasks We're Putting Off

April 11th, 2021

6:02

We give a shout-out to all that need-to-do stuff waiting on us, and then stuff it back in our purses and inboxes for a little while longer.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in …

Second-Listen Saturday: When Best Friends Are Banned

April 10th, 2021

26:22

We react, with predictable skepticism, to a preschool that won't let kids use the term "best friend." Plus, how social media is actually good for …

The Olden Days

April 8th, 2021

14:38

This Buzzfeed article reminisced about things "kids today will never know" from the point of view of millennials [https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/funny-kids-today-will-never-know-tweets]. We see your "DVD menu on …

Entitlement Opinions

April 7th, 2021

11:39

When the Huffington Post told us there were four things to do to avoid raising entitled kids [

What We’re Watching: ZEP “Zoey’s Extraordinary Birthday” and Veronica Mars “Papa’s Cabin”

April 6th, 2021

22:59

On Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist this week, Zoey turned 30 and chose among the three attractive men fighting for her affections. Now will she stick …

Pandemic-Year Accomplishments

April 5th, 2021

11:18

It feels like everything has been on hold for over a year, but we found we have made some forward progress in categories such as TV Watched, Hours …

Speed-Round Sunday: What Reality Show Would You Go On?

April 4th, 2021

4:36

Since we're past the stage of life for shows like The Bachelor and Big Brother, we broadened our choice to Food Network and HGTV shows, and allowed ourselves to imagine we're foreign travelers and stars.

This show is …

Second-Listen Saturday: Stage Mothers

April 3rd, 2021

22:25

We reflect on our many years of kid-performance experiences, from marching band to dance to water polo.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime …

Roundabout Roundup: Glandex Soft Chews, EconTalk Podcast, and Redbubble

April 2nd, 2021

6:47

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Nicole's dog, and her carpets, are benefiting from Glandex Anal Gland Soft Chew Treats [

Adjusting to Post-Pandemic Life

April 1st, 2021

13:21

While we're not there yet, eventually there will be a post-Covid reality. But how do you help kids get back to normal when there is no normal …

Your Kids, Your Choices

March 31st, 2021

13:04

A blog post titled "5 of Our Parenting Choices People Have an Opinion About" got us ranting about why everyone insists on caring about how other …

What We’re Watching: ZEP “Zoey’s Extraordinary Memory” and Veronica Mars “Mars, Bars”

March 30th, 2021

31:06

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist is back, and so is its general focus on White People Problems. But we're still rooting for Zoey and the gang (especially for the new love interests for Max and Mo). Next: "Zoey's …

Parenting Myth-Busting

March 29th, 2021

12:43

When we read "Doctors debunk 16 myths about raising kids" [https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-debunk-16-myths-about-parenting-younger-children-toddlers-2020-3], we had to jump in and debunk some of the debunking. …

Speed-Round Sunday: Our Dietary Restrictions

March 28th, 2021

6:20

Terri's trip to the Gluten Free and Allergy Friendly Expo (now called the Nourished Festival [https://nourishedfestival.com/about-us]) got us thinking about all the different allergy-accommodating foods available today …

Second-Listen Saturday: Feeling Powerless

March 27th, 2021

15:08

How does your family manage during power outages? Do you happily play board games by candlelight, or sit in corners clinging to your dead iPhones?

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in …

Roundabout Roundup: Majestic Pure Hair Mask, Eufy RoboVac, and Celestial Seasonings Fruit Tea Sampler

March 26th, 2021

9:00

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Catherine's beautifying her hair with Majestic Pure's avocado and coconut hair mask [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y29JGSK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1]. …

Would You Do a Digital Detox?

March 25th, 2021

14:15

We obsess about Reviews.org's offer of cash in exchange for a digital detox (https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/20/us/stay-away-from-screens-challenge-trnd/index.html; no phones, TVs, computers, video games, smart devices). We …

Instagram for Kids: Dislike

March 24th, 2021

13:00

On this week's Round 3, we complain about the possibility of Instagram for Kids. This seems like a good idea for absolutely no one (except marketers …

What We’re Watching: Veronica Mars “Postgame Mortem”

March 23rd, 2021

23:16

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Veronica Mars season 3 adds another murder into the mix. But what we really care about is the buddy comedy "Logan and Heather." We also listened to the Veronica Mars …

A Messy Mom Is a Good Mom

March 22nd, 2021

11:25

An article listing "14 Signs You're a Good Mom" [https://www.scarymommy.com/messy-mom-good-mom/] got us talking about all those dead giveaways that a child lives in your house: toys in the bathtub, random detritus in …

Speed-Round Sunday: Road Trip Snacks

March 21st, 2021

5:47

​Snacks for the road! Two of us advocate for every kind of junk food, diets be darned, while one will allow for apples. We're leaving her at the side of the road.​

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you …

Roundabout Roundup: Clubhouse, Glutino Yogurt-Covered Pretzels, and Call the Midwife

March 19th, 2021

9:51

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Ever the early adopter, Terri has joined Clubhouse [https://www.joinclubhouse.com/] and is enjoying the …

Perils of Punctuality

March 18th, 2021

14:56

We respond to a tweet that asked, "Would you rather always be 10 minutes late or 20 minutes early?" by lamenting the awkwardness of being early, even …

Say Yes to Saying No

March 17th, 2021

11:04

Why is it that moms are always in charge of saying no, except to adding more work to our plates? We complain about the challenges of knowing when (and when not) to say no. Mentioned: The new Netflix movie Yes Day [

What We’re Watching: Veronica Mars, Season 3, Episodes 11 and 12

March 16th, 2021

19:03

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, the Logan-Veronica roller coaster is in full effect. Having gotten back together at the end of episode …

Advice for 18-Year-Olds

March 15th, 2021

13:14

An article titled "18 Things I Wish I Knew When I Turned 18" [https://www.scarymommy.com/18-things-wish-known-turned-18/] prompted us to wonder if …

Speed-Round Sunday: Seasonal Foods Out of Season

March 14th, 2021

4:47

Is it weird to eat hamburgers on a random Wednesday instead of at a cookout? Do you ever put a turkey with the trimmings on the table outside of Thanksgiving? We chat about the way certain foods get attached to certain …

Second-Listen Saturday: Horror Show

March 13th, 2021

10:52

Inspired by the movie A Quiet Place [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6644200/?ref_=fn_al_tt_6], we pitch our scariest parenting-themed horror movie ideas, featuring crying babies, IEP meetings, and more.

This show is part …

Roundabout Roundup: Cat Window Perch, Hedgehog Dryer Balls, and Crossword Fiend

March 12th, 2021

8:20

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole's cat is sitting pretty in a window perch hammock (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BR5MKMS/ref

Bullying By Proxy

March 11th, 2021

11:04

Is warning your kids that someone might be mean to them in response to their actions just as bad as being mean to them yourself? We struggle with when to step in and when to zip our lips.

This show is part of the …

The Neverending Story of Household Tasks

March 10th, 2021

12:23

A Facebook post from Rookie Moms [https://www.facebook.com/rookiemoms/posts/264427161907372] prompted us to muse about eliminating one thing we do each day in our homes so that we'd never have to do it again. Mentioned: …

What We’re Watching: Veronica Mars “Show Me the Monkey”

March 9th, 2021

20:27

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Veronica Mars season 3, episode 10, was a nice, soothing, case-of-the-week plot. There was little else going on--except that the overall story arc is now "Who killed the …

Pandemic Life After One Year

March 8th, 2021

13:23

After nearly a year of coexisting with Covid, we take a look at what's changed (for better and worse) and what hasn't. We're still podcasting, for one thing!

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Speed-Round Sunday: Technology Disappointments

March 7th, 2021

4:58

Why do Facebook Messenger, Fitbit, and autocorrect hate us so? What did we ever do to them?​

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at

Second-Listen Saturday: Self-Care Stagnation

March 6th, 2021

15:14

With all these grown-up, independent kids, we should be doing great at exercising, scheduling medical appointments, and other important tasks. Just …

Roundabout Roundup: Name Your Device, BZees Sneakers, and Ink Master

March 5th, 2021

9:17

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Terri suggests livening up your lockdown life by giving your electronic devices names. Nicole's feet are happy in …

Good Parenting Decisions

March 4th, 2021

13:28

After reading an article called "The 5 Best Parenting Decisions I've Made so Far" [https://www.scarymommy.com/5-best-parenting-decisions/], we …

Easy Ways to Ruin a Kid’s Day

March 3rd, 2021

9:54

Having kids means your every move has potential to embarrass, annoy, or aggravate most of the members of your family.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, …

What We’re Watching: Veronica Mars “Lord of the Pi’s” and “Spit and Eggs”

March 2nd, 2021

24:31

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, two episodes of Veronica Mars. We're not sure we'd call this season entertaining, exactly, but episode 9, "Spit and Eggs," had about three episodes' worth of plot. Some …

Trying On Job Titles

March 1st, 2021

14:28

"Homemaker" seems to be the IRS-official job title for what parents do, but we find it entirely inaccurate and insufficient. Can we get credit for some of the many jobs parenting entails, like tutor, therapist, and …

Speed-Round Sunday: Your Go-To Potluck Dish

February 28th, 2021

4:45

On Speed-Round Sunday, we share a mini episode from our past for your weekend listening pleasure. This one comes from a time when potlucks (and gatherings of any kind) were a thing.

Finding something that everyone will …

Second-Listen Saturday: Family Values

February 27th, 2021

11:33

​First, we have to figure out what values we value most; and then we have to try to teach them to our kids.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact …

Roundabout Roundup: Uniqlo HeatTech, Hello BC, and Taylor Swift Rereleases

February 26th, 2021

6:48

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine recommends Uniqlo's HeatTech layers if you're always cold [https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/women/heattech]. …

Post-Pandemic Plans

February 25th, 2021

11:13

In a careful, knock-on-wood way, we are starting to think about post-pandemic plans, from big things (traveling and having kids back in a traditional …

One-Star Reviews of Parenting Experiences

February 24th, 2021

12:01

Inspired by a New Yorker article [https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/one-star-reviews-of-early-parenthood-milestones], we give poor reviews to several parenting experiences we do not care to repeat, from dance …

What We’re Watching: Veronica Mars “Of Vice and Men”

February 23rd, 2021

13:15

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist is still on hiatus, so we watched season 3, episode 7 of Veronica Mars. This one finds Veronica in extreme peril not once but twice, but first …

Signs You’re the Parent of Teens or Young Adults

February 22nd, 2021

10:51

... who is also trying to work from home. During a global pandemic. We share the behind-the-scenes videos we'd film to tell you we're parenting teens …

Speed-Round Sunday: Would You Rather, Dessert Edition

February 21st, 2021

4:57

We do some quick takes on pies vs. cakes. Also cookies vs. brownies, hard ice cream vs. soft, and fruit vs. chocolate.

This show is part of the …

Second-Listen Saturday: Anger Management

February 20th, 2021

13:10

We discuss the anger styles of our kids, our spouses, and ourselves, and how they all mix together into a nice toxic soup.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this …

Roundabout Roundup: Tiger Balm, Grounds and Hounds Coffee, and Rose Apothecary Shirt

February 19th, 2021

7:14

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Nicole is healing aches and pains with Tiger Balm [https://www.tigerbalm.com/], while Terri is helping shelter …

Turning Into Our Mothers

February 18th, 2021

10:59

After reading an article reporting on scientific research about how alike mothers and daughters are [https://www.scarymommy.com/turn-into-our-mothers/], we confess how much--or how little--we resemble our moms.

This show …

Do You Need a Primal Scream?

February 17th, 2021

10:52

The New York Times set up a primal scream hotline for moms [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/12/18/parenting/primal-scream.html]. Or you can visit https://screamintothevoid.com/ to type away your frustrations. …

What We’re Watching: ZEP “Zoey’s Extraordinary Reckoning” and Veronica Mars “Hi, Infidelity”

February 16th, 2021

17:48

On our entertainment-themed Round 2 this week, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist takes on racism in the workplace in a thoughtful, well-done episode. …

Speed-Round Sunday: What Part of Town Do You Live In?

February 14th, 2021

4:53

Do you live uptown? Downtown? On the wrong side of the tracks? In the suburbs? We put ourselves on the map.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact …

Second-Listen Saturday: The Sting of Rejection

February 13th, 2021

13:55

Surprise: We've found that helping our kids through painful setbacks is, well, painful.

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are …

Roundabout Roundup: Listen to Sassy, SmartLess, and Opera Browser

February 12th, 2021

11:07

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup, Catherine recommends the new podcast Listen to Sassy [https://listentosassy.com/], while Nicole is enjoying an …

Other People's Problems

February 11th, 2021

12:37

When our own problems seem overwhelming, it's very tempting to want to swap them for someone else's. But our advice in this situation is to be …

Adapting to Post-Pandemic Life

February 10th, 2021

11:49

With a return to normalcy on the horizon (right? maybe?), we wonder about some of the skills and habits that have atrophied over these many months of lockdown. Are they gone forever?

This show is part of the Spreaker …

What We’re Watching: ZEP “Zoey’s Extraordinary Trip” and Veronica Mars “President Evil”

February 9th, 2021

16:47

On Zoey, it turns out that Zoey's extraordinary trip does not mean that Zoey took Terri's advice to go on vacation. Nope, she goes on a drug trip with her neighbor Aidan and her CEO, Danny Michael Davis. This was not …

Like Parent, Like Child (Or Not)

February 8th, 2021

11:54

What happens when parents and kids experience a culture clash? Is it tougher to provide support when your child is very different from you, or is …

Speed-Round Sunday: Name a Significant Number in Your Life

February 7th, 2021

4:52

We scour the addresses, phone numbers, and birthdates of our lives to discover digits that seem to be following us around.

This show is part of the …

Second-Listen Saturday: Documenting Kids' Lives

February 6th, 2021

15:37

"Take a picture, it'll last longer." But will you be able to find it when you want to see it?

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at

Roundabout Roundup: Zoom-In Feature on Mac, Kodiak Cakes Muffin Mixes, and Lupin

February 5th, 2021

7:10

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Terri wants you to know that you can save your eyes with a zoom-in feature on Mac [

Our Mostly Screen-Free Childhoods

February 4th, 2021

14:23

After a sanctimonious New York Times article on kids' screen time during the pandemic [https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/16/health/covid-kids-tech-use.html], Indi Savarajiva countered with "Screen Time Cannot Be Worse …

Best and Worst Times of the Day

February 3rd, 2021

12:46

In a follow-up to our episode on whether we're morning people (spoiler: Nope), we discuss the best, and worst, times of day we experience as parents.

What We’re Watching: ZEP “Zoey’s Extraordinary Employee” and Veronica Mars “Charlie Don’t Surf”

February 2nd, 2021

18:08

On this week's entertainment-themed Round 2, Zoey's "extraordinary" employee turns out to be unextraordinarily fired. And because two love interests for Zoey were not enough, we now have a third on the scene. Next: …

Ancestry Testing Surprises

February 1st, 2021

14:53

Nicole's results from AncestryDNA were a little unexpected, and gave her some new bragging rights in her family. Catherine's, from another purveyor, …

Speed-Round Sunday: Does Your Husband Wear Things Until They Completely Fall Apart?

January 31st, 2021

7:16

It's not just us, right? Wearing shirts so worn through that it looks like they've been in a knife fight is some kind of guy thing?

This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on …

Second-Listen Saturday: This Is a Drill

January 30th, 2021

19:00

On Second-Listen Saturday, we share moments from past episodes for your weekend listening pleasure. This one harks back to a time when children went …

Roundabout Roundup: All in Motion Cargo Pants, Soul, and the I’m Fine Pullover

January 29th, 2021

7:24

On this week’s Roundabout Roundup: Following up on yesterday's episode on pandemic clothing, Nicole recommends a pair of comfy pants from Target [

When Products Try Too Hard to Be Helpful

January 27th, 2021

13:13

Not every product needs to come with an extra, like a chart to keep track of your face masks [

What We’re Watching: ZEP “Zoey’s Extraordinary Dreams” and Veronica Mars “Wichita Linebacker”

January 26th, 2021

13:57

It's boyfriend troubles for both our heroines this week. Zoey's dreams are really nightmares, and poor Max can't seem to do anything to help her. Next week: "Zoey's Extraordinary Employee."

On Veronica Mars, Logan