On this episode: Elizabeth Newcamp is joined by Dr. Sarah Wayland, founder and owner of Guiding Exceptional Parents and co-author of Is This Autism. Together they answer a parent whose child is exhibiting neurodivergent behaviors and, as such, their pediatrician recommended an evaluation. The letter writer is nervous that an evaluation will mean that their child will be seen as a diagnosis, not for the person she is. 

We also go over our week in triumphs and fails — and then, if you stick around for Slate Plus, we talk about what your kid actually means when they tell you ‘no.’ 

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] 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 Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Maura Currie.

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On this episode: Zak Rosen, Jamilah Lemieux, and Elizabeth Newcamp help a listener who loves sharing the bed with their partner and kid. However, their current sleeping arrangement is creating quite the barrier for intimacy. How can they maintain a healthy and passionate relationship while also parenting? 

Recommendations: 

Elizabeth: “We Overcame The Wind” from The Drop That Contained the Sea. 

Jamilah: Clue Jr. 

Zak: Splitting up kids on the weekend. 

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] 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 Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Maura Currie.

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On this episode: Zak Rosen, Jamilah Lemieux, and Elizabeth Newcamp help a listener who’s struggling with a very outgoing kid who can’t seem to understand stranger danger. How can the listener help their child be more aware, without causing fear — and what should they do when a stranger is a little too friendly in return? 

We also go over our week in triumphs and fails — and then, if you stick around for Slate Plus, we talk about no-gift birthday parties… and whether we’re tempted to ignore other parents’ rules.

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] 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 Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Maura Currie.

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On this episode: Jamilah Lemieux, Zak Rosen, and Elizabeth Newcamp are joined by Slate writer, Aymann Ismail, to talk about his piece, Closed Book. He tracked down one of the most challenged books—a health and sexual education book called It’s Perfectly Normal—to see why it’s being banned. It’s “particularly blunt and graphic” yet Aymann was surprised at the feelings of embarrassment and shame surfacing as he read the book. They talk about parent’s squeamish feelings when it comes to sexual education, why age-appropriate education is so important, and what these involuntary reactions have to do with book bans. 

Recommendations: 

Zak: Slow-Cooker Cauliflower, Potato and White Bean Soup

Elizabeth: Make your own ‘choose your own adventure’ game.

Jamilah: Connections

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] 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 Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Maura Currie.

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On this episode: Zak Rosen, Jamilah Lemieux, and Elizabeth Newcamp talk about toxic achievement culture.

The three of them talk with Jennifer Breheny Wallace, journalist and author of Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic – And What We Can Do About It — about how we push our kids, and ourselves, even when we don’t need to.

We also go over our week in parenting. And then, for Slate Plus, we’ll debrief on our conversation with Jennifer, and the hosts will discuss how they, and their kids, fall victim to toxic achievement culture.

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] 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 Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Maura Currie.

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On this episode: Zak Rosen, Jamilah Lemieux, and Elizabeth Newcamp talk about climate change and kids with Anya Kamenetz. Anya is a journalist who covers the intersection of the climate crisis and parenting in her newsletter, The Golden Hour. She is a former NPR education reporter and author of many books including, The Stolen Year. She has lots of wonderful information and advice for any caregiver who will be helping a kid navigate this crisis. 

Recommendations 

Jamilah: DenTek floss picks 

Zak: Cleaning the dishwasher

Anya: YouTube karaoke

Elizabeth: Spyrogliphics 

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] 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 Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Maura Currie.

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On this episode: Zak Rosen, Jamilah Lemieux, and Elizabeth Newcamp talk about parenting digital citizens. 

Elizabeth sits down with author and speaker Dr. Devorah Heitner about her latest book, Growing Up in Public. The book helps guide parents through navigating social media and phone usage for their kids — and the privacy, freedom, and surveillance issues that come along with phones. 

We also go over our week in parenting. And then, for Slate Plus, we’ll debrief on our conversation with Devorah — and how the hosts handle screentime and internet access in their own households.

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] 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 Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Maura Currie.

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On this episode: Zak Rosen, Jamilah Lemieux, and Elizabeth Newcamp tackle two listener questions. First: How young is too young for an allowance? The question-asker’s 4-year-old really likes asking for things when they go to the store and she’s wondering if an allowance will help him learn the value of money. Second: How to make time for playdates, especially when both parents work and the weekend is pretty packed.

Recommendations: 

Jamilah recommends Curb Your Enthusiasm

Elizabeth recommends this fridge calendar

Zak recommends The Eyes & the Impossible by Dave Eggers

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] 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 Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Maura Currie.

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On this episode: Zak interviews Jake Gyllenhaal, Greta Caruso, and Dan Santat about their new book, The Secret Society of Aunts & Uncles. They dive into what makes that particular relationship so special, why it’s overlooked in children’s literature, and even what goes into crafting a kids book. 

We also go over our week in triumphs and fails. Then, if you’re sticking around for Slate Plus, we share some Instagram accounts that are actually making our lives better.

Zak recommends: 

Elizabeth recommends: 

Jamilah recommends: 

And of course, you can always follow your hosts on Instagram, too:

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] 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 Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Maura Currie.

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On this episode from our friends at Slate's Decoder Ring podcast: When Slate’s Evan Chung was a kid, he was obsessed with a mysterious advertisement that ran for decades in the scouting magazine Boys’ Life. Under the enticing headline “You Can Float on Air,” the ad assured Evan—and generations of scouts—that a personal hovercraft could be theirs for just a few bucks. 

In this episode, the adult version of Evan journeys halfway across the country to wield power tools, summon his latent scouting skills, and conscript his father into a quest three decades in the making. 

Will Evan float on air? Scout’s honor: You’ll just have to listen. 

This episode was written by Evan Chung, who produced this episode with Decoder Ring’s Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. It was edited by Willa Paskin and Joel Meyer. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show and want to support us, consider signing up for Slate Plus. As a member, you’ll get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads—and your support is crucial to our work. Go to slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today. 

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