Care and Feeding | Slate's parenting show

On this episode: Lucy and Zak are joined by special guest host Chris Duffy to talk about the power of a painting. Our listener has a piece of art hanging on her wall that features some nudity — and it recently startled a crew of kids over for a playdate. Should the painting be moved, or taken down? Or is our listener just becoming the fabled Cool Art House? We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails, and share an update about the parent who sparked the great shorts under skirts debate. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Lucy, Jamilah, and Dan Kois help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook community who’s wondering how to help her teenage son through the rite of passage that is shaving. We’ll also help out a listener whose six-year-old is an overzealous shaver, and talk through whether it’s a real problem. We also dole out a round of recommendations. Then, for Slate Plus listeners – we’re relaunching our Plus offerings and welcoming you to the Plus Playground. This week, we’re offering an additional round of recommendations, and we’re debriefing on two recent, controversial, columns that Dan wrote for the Care & Feeding web column. If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how. Dan recommends: Before Sunrise, especially for teens Jamilah recommends: Watch a bad movie together (on purpose) Lucy recommends: My Spy: The Eternal City Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Lucy, Jamilah, and special guest host Dan Kois help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group who’s unable to sleep unless everyone in the household is tucked in and all the doors are locked. That’s making it challenging to live with a 16-year-old night owl… so is the answer to just suffer through the evenings where not everyone is back in the nest? We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails – and chat about what Dan’s been up to since we last heard from him. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Zak, Lucy and Jamilah help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook Group who’s torn about her kid’s new bestie. This girl is mostly unsupervised and tends toward naughtiness — ding-dong ditching, messy play, and watching adult YouTube — and that tendency is trickling down to our group member’s son. How can this parent make sure her home is a safe space, but still keep order? We also dole out a round of recommendations. Then, for Slate Plus listeners – we’re weighing when it’s okay to leave your kid home alone. Zak recommends: See what happens if your kid’s in charge of packing lunch Jamilah recommends: Jersey Mike’s Lucy recommends: Pick Your Poison Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Jamilah help a listener who wrote in wondering how to soften her landing after taking a break from the kids. She’s grateful for them, and for time away… but why doesn’t she feel refreshed? We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails, and share some of your responses to our recent episode about shorts under skirts and dresses. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re taking it easy after the holiday last week but didn’t want to leave you empty-eared… so we’re very excited to share an extended cut of Jamila’s recent interview with Ruby Russell, author of Doing It All: The Social Power of Single Motherhood. We’ll be back with a regular episode Thursday — see you then! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hi listeners! We're off from the holiday but wanted to share an episode of another Slate show that we think you'll love: Leo is a high-achieving high school senior on the cusp of graduation. Growing up in a rigorous school environment he faced endless pressure to follow the expected track of attending an elite university and eventually securing a good job. Yet, Leo feels slightly unfulfilled and is curious what an alternative path might look like. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace is joined by Abby Falik, founder of The Flight School, and organization dedicate to helping students and parents rethink and reshape their education. Abby shares her insights and experience guiding students through gap years so they find their own way. If you liked this episode check out: How To Parent Less Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Zak, Lucy and Elizabeth help a listener whose daycare has requested that her toddler daughter wear shorts underneath skirts and dresses. The listener’s knee-jerk reaction is that it’s unnecessary… but we’ll offer some suggestions about what she could be missing, and why how we dress our kids is important. We also dole out a round of recommendations, and share some stuff you listeners have been loving — and, for our Slate Plus listeners, we’ll talk about the way we choose baby names, and how hard it is to escape the popular name hivemind. Zak recommends: Lake drawing app Elizabeth recommends: Shakespeare Insult Generator book or online Lucy and Amelia recommend: “The Throne of Glass” Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Elizabeth help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group whose daughter forgot how to ride a bike… and is now pretty insistent that she doesn’t want to re-learn. We’ll talk through how to incentivize some bravery and get siblings involved in the process. We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including a triumph that wasn’t a triumph until we talked through it. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Zak, Lucy and Elizabeth talk about the bold thesis statement of this piece from Romper Magazine… arguing that actually, traveling with a big group is the best way to relax on vacation. We’ll talk strategy for booking reservations, handing off kid duties, and casting the perfect vacation collective. We also dole out a round of recommendations for beating the heat — and, for our Slate Plus listeners, we’re taking a trip down memory lane and sharing some travel-themed triumphs and fails. Zak recommends: a hat box so the kids can choose their own Lucy recommends: Twister Splash Elizabeth recommends: UV Umbrella & Handheld Mini fan Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Elizabeth help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group come up with ways to prevent a summer backslide – and keep school skills fresh over the break. We got some great tips from our audience of parents and educators, too. We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including a tale of middle-school heroism involving a very large cockroach. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Zak, Lucy, and Elizabeth help a member of our Slate Parenting Facebook group who’s struggling to keep her head above water. There’s always another deadline, appointment, and thing to do… and when it all piles up, it’s hard to feel like you can dig yourself out. We’ll have some concrete advice for how to move in the right direction — and more importantly, how to feel better. We also dole out a round of recommendations — and, for our Slate Plus listeners, we’re talking about keeping teeth and making jewelry, and whether it’s actually as weird as it sounds. Lucy recommends: Makeup/Skincare shopping with your 12 yr old Elizabeth recommends: Silicone Nesting Scoops Zak recommends: Babes Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Lucy sits down with researcher and friend of the show Tova Walsh to talk about her work on dads who experience postpartum depression. Paternal mental health is a topic we don’t talk about nearly enough, so we wanted to give you some advice — and some resources to learn more and get help. Tova wants to share the following: A conversation she hosted about understanding fathers’ mental health Help for dads via Postpartum Support International A training on paternal perinatal mental health, geared toward care providers And a piece of her research on including fathers in perinatal mental health practice. Lucy, Zak and Elizabeth will also debrief on our week in parenting with a round of Triumphs & Fails — including ROLY-POLIES. Listeners, we want your advice – and your questions – about how to prevent the dreaded summer backslide. You know where to find us (and if you don’t, keep reading). Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Zak, Jamilah, and Elizabeth answer a listener question about whether it’s really necessary to lug around strollers and car seats during an international trip. The answer is complicated, but among other tips, we do recommend the following: The City Mini stroller The gb Pockit+ stroller line The Doona car seat/stroller system The Mifold compact booster seat The CARES harness for plane seats We also dole out a round of regular recommendations and share some stuff that listeners have been loving – and for our Slate Plus listeners, we’ll imagine our own personal parenting training montages (shoutout to listener Aili and her son Silas). Jamilah recommends: A hotel staycation (but voluntary) Elizabeth recommends: Magic Puzzle Company Puzzles Zak recommends: Taki Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Jamilah, Zak and Elizabeth help a listener who, for a few reasons, is at the end of her rope with a friend of her daughter’s. The friend is sweet… she’s just LOUD, to the point that the listener doesn’t want to drive the girls around anymore. Where does she go from here? We’ll also debrief on our week in parenting with a round of Triumphs & Fails — including a dip in the creek. Listeners, we want your advice – and your questions – about how to prevent the dreaded summer backslide. You know where to find us (and if you don’t, keep reading). Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Zak sits down with Jessica Calarco, whose new book – Holding It Together – is out tomorrow. The two walk through the ways in which women, and especially mothers, replace a social safety net in the United States… and, more importantly, why it doesn’t have to be this way. We also dole out a round of recommendations – and for our Slate Plus listeners, we continue Zak and Jessica’s conversation and ask Jamilah and Elizabeth what they think their unpaid labor is holding together. Elizabeth recommends: Brain Inflamed Zak recommends: Play your favorite music videos for your kids. Like this. Jamilah recommends: If (in theaters now!) Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Jamilah, Zak and Elizabeth answer a listener email about how to keep someone’s memory alive. This listener is pregnant for the first time and thrilled, but also can’t stop thinking about her late brother… and all the uncle stuff he won’t get to do. We’ll offer some tips for navigating grief and helping little ones remember family members they’ll never know. We’ll also debrief on our week in parenting with a round of Triumphs & Fails — including a brush with ugly racism that got brushed right off. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're off for Memorial Day, but we didn't want to leave you empty-handed. So: we're thrilled to share this episode of Well, Now — Slate's new show all about health and wellness. If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to Well, Now wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Lucy, Zak and Elizabeth answer a listener email about whether an 8 and 5 year old should still be sharing a room. The basement is a communal space, and it’s also home to some creepy crawlies… but is it worth making that work in the name of some separation? We’ll also debrief on our week in parenting with a round of Triumphs & Fails — including a postcard from a spat with a sleepy toddler. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Zak, Lucy and Elizabeth answer a question from our Slate Parenting Facebook group about a 7-year-old who’s at home being naked at home. It’s not really a problem right now, but with puberty around the corner… will it be? We also dole out a round of recommendations — and then, for Slate Plus, we offer suggestions for mess-free (or mess-minimal) car snacks. Zak recommends: The Daily Dad Newsletter by Ryan Holiday Lucy recommends: Planet of the Apes Elizabeth recommends: Murdle Puzzle Book Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices