Jones Family Playbook

Having kids changes almost everything, including who you are, how you spend your time, and how you experience your marriage.

In this episode of  @JonesFamilyPlaybook , we get honest about something parents don't always say out loud: we love being parents, but we also miss parts of the lives we had before kids.

We talk about losing our freedom, struggling to find time for each other, date nights that feel rushed, and the challenge of making time for ourselves while raising two young boys.

We also look back at who we were when we first met, how becoming parents changed our identities, and whether it's possible to miss your old life while still loving the life you've built.

And then Holly shares the story of the first time she saw Keith at NBC10 in Philadelphia, a moment she says she'll never forget. ❤️

If you're a parent who's ever wondered, “Where did the old me go?” or “How do we find our way back to each other?” this conversation is for you.

Watch the full episode, then LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE The Jones Family Playbook with another parent who needs to hear this.

OUR LINKS

https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilyplaybook

👋🏻 ABOUT US

The Jones Family Playbook is a weekly parenting and marriage podcast hosted by Keith and Holly Jones, two broadcast journalists and working parents raising two young boys.

It's where real love, laughter, and parenthood meet — with honest conversations about marriage, parenting, family life, work, and everything that comes with raising a family.

Follow Holly!

www.instagram.com/HollyHarrarTV

Follow Keith!

www.instagram.com/KeithJonesNews

#Parenting #Parenthood #MarriageAfterKids #parenthoodgoals #Fatherhood #Motherhood #DadLife #MomLife #TheJonesFamilyPlaybook

Going back to work after parental leave sounds simple… until you come home and your toddler stops running to you.

Keith is back at work after 16 weeks of paternity leave, trying to balance fatherhood, marriage, and a demanding career... all while wondering if going back to work is changing his relationship with his toddler and 4-month-old.

In this episode of The Jones Family Playbook, Keith opens up about the guilt of going back to work and what it felt like when his two-year-old stopped rushing to the door to greet him.

Then, after their toddler falls off the bed and reaches for Dad for comfort, something changes. That moment gives Keith the reassurance he desperately needed: going back to work didn’t mean his boys loved him any less.

Keith and Holly also talk honestly about sharing the mental load, staying connected as husband and wife, why dads sometimes feel pressure to “just deal with it,” and whether work can actually be a healthy escape from parenting.

And as two journalists and parents, they discuss how becoming parents has completely changed the way they experience and report the news.

In this episode:

• Returning to work after parental leave

• Returning to work after paternity leave

• Dad guilt and working-parent guilt

• Parenting two young boys

• What happens when your toddler stops running to you

• Balancing marriage, parenting, and a demanding career

• The pressure fathers feel to provide

• Work-life balance for working parents

• How becoming parents changes your identity

• How parenthood changes the way journalists see the news

• Why communication matters when both parents are overwhelmed

OUR LINKS

https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilyplaybook

👋🏻 ABOUT US

The Jones Family Playbook is a weekly parenting and marriage podcast hosted by Keith and Holly Jones, two broadcast journalists and working parents raising two young boys.

It's where real love, laughter, and parenthood meet — with honest conversations about marriage, parenting, family life, work, and everything that comes with raising a family.

Follow Holly!

www.instagram.com/HollyHarrarTV

Follow Keith!

www.instagram.com/KeithJonesNews

#Parenting #DadLife #WorkingDad #ParentalLeave #Fatherhood #ToddlerParenting #Marriage #FamilyPodcast

Having a second baby can bring a marriage closer together, but it can also leave you completely exhausted. In this episode of The Jones Family Playbook, we get honest about what life is really like with two boys under two.

And there's a special guest joining us the entire time: our infant son, Callan!

We also play Red Flag or Green Flag, debating everything from going to bed angry and opposite-sex friends to separate vacations, splitting household chores, and whether couples who never argue are actually a red flag.

Then we get into one of our biggest parenting conversations yet: Are the "terrible twos" really terrible? We talk toddler tantrums, boundaries, discipline, independence, and why parents may be too quick to label normal learning behavior as "bad behavior."

In this episode:

Life with two boys under two

How baby #2 has changed our marriage

Marriage, exhaustion and finding time for each other

Red Flag or Green Flag: relationships and parenting

Going to bed angry

Opposite-sex friendships in marriage

Separate vacations and separate bedrooms

Splitting household chores

The mental load and who does more at home

Using AI for parenting advice

Toddler tantrums and boundaries

The "terrible twos" debate

Gentle parenting vs. firm discipline

Toddler independence and stranger danger

Why normal learning behavior isn't necessarily "bad behavior"

Parenting two very different boys

And, of course, plenty of Callan 🥰

OUR LINKS

https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilyplaybook

👋🏻 ABOUT US

The Jones Family Playbook is where real love, laughter, and parenthood meet. Hosted by Holly and Keith, two broadcast journalists and working parents, this weekly podcast brings a blend of humor, honesty, and heart to every conversation, creating a trusted space that feels like a growing family.

Follow Holly!

www.instagram.com/HollyHarrarTV

Follow Keith!

www.instagram.com/KeithJonesNews

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2026.

#Parenting #Marriage #ParentingTwoKids #ToddlerParenting #MomAndDad #FamilyPodcast #TerribleTwos

Going back to work after having a baby is hard. But after spending 16 weeks at home with our two boys, Keith wasn't prepared for just how emotional it would be.

In this episode of The Jones Family Playbook, Keith opens up about the end of his 16 weeks of parental leave and what it feels like to leave his family and return to work. We talk honestly about dad guilt, working-parent guilt, motherhood, raising two kids under two, and why parents, especially fathers, shouldn't feel ashamed for being emotional.

Then, Holly surprises Keith with something she had been secretly writing for days: a letter about the 16 weeks he chose to spend at home with his family. ❤️

This episode is for every parent who has struggled with the push and pull between work and family, and for anyone trying to make the most of the little moments before they become memories.

In this episode:

• Going back to work after parental leave

• Why dads should take paternity leave

• Dad guilt and working-parent guilt

• The emotional reality of leaving your kids

• Raising two boys under two

• Holly's anxiety about parenting alone in the mornings

• Why men should feel comfortable showing emotion

• An emotional letter from wife to husband

• Giving yourself grace as a parent

• Finding gratitude in the chaos of family life

OUR LINKS

https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilyplaybook

👋🏻 ABOUT US

The Jones Family Playbook is where real love, laughter, and parenthood meet. Hosted by Holly and Keith, two broadcast journalists and working parents, this weekly podcast brings a blend of humor, honesty, and heart to every conversation, creating a trusted space that feels like a growing family.

Follow Holly!

www.instagram.com/HollyHarrarTV

Follow Keith!

www.instagram.com/KeithJonesNews

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2026.

#Parenting #ParenalLeave #MaternityLeave #PaternityLeave #WorkingParents #DadLife #Parenthood #Marriage #FamilyPodcast

Holly and Keith get very honest about the emotional side of parenting two young kids: moving Callen into his own room, feeling guilty about dividing your attention between two children, breastfeeding and postpartum body image, and the strange feeling of watching your babies become more independent.

We also talk about Holly's experience as Miss Philadelphia 2016, how that chapter shaped her identity, Keith's early days in television, and why the hardest moments in our lives can sometimes lead us exactly where we're supposed to be.

And, naturally, Keith considers shaving his entire face.

It's another very real conversation about parenting, marriage, identity, and trying to figure out what the heck we're doing along the way.

If you're a parent who's ever felt guilty, nostalgic, overwhelmed, or completely unprepared for how quickly your kids grow up… you'll probably relate.

OUR LINKS

https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilyplaybook

👋🏻 ABOUT US

The Jones Family Playbook is where real love, laughter, and parenthood meet. Hosted by Holly and Keith, two broadcast journalists and working parents, this weekly podcast brings a blend of humor, honesty, and heart to every conversation, creating a trusted space that feels like a growing family.

Follow Holly!

www.instagram.com/HollyHarrarTV

Follow Keith!

www.instagram.com/KeithJonesNews

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2026.

#Parenting #ParentingPodcast #Marriage #MomGuilt #TheJonesFamilyPlaybook

Is our 2-year-old actually ready for potty training... or are we about to make a huge mistake?

In this episode of The Jones Family Playbook, we talk about the next big parenting milestone: getting Keith III out of diapers. He’s starting to show some signs of readiness, but we debate whether parents should simply wait until their kids are ready or actually push them to learn new skills.

We also get unexpectedly emotional talking about something every parent eventually faces: your baby growing up. Keith doesn't fall asleep in our arms anymore. He doesn't want Dad to sing to him anymore. And even though he's still affectionate, those little baby moments are starting to disappear.

We talk about raising two boys, Holly becoming the "queen" of a house full of boys, the example Keith sees in his mother, and the pride that comes with watching your son start to look up to you.

And then there's the question that somehow becomes a full-blown debate: If you hold the door open for someone at Chipotle, do they have to let you go ahead of them in line? We have very different opinions.

Plus: Keith's dentist appointment, the pressure parents feel when their child gets their teeth checked, an unfortunate incident involving our dog, and what it's really like trying to record a podcast while raising two little boys.

This is The Jones Family Playbook: an honest, unscripted conversation about parenting, marriage, family, and figuring it out as we go.

If you enjoy the show, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who would relate.

OUR LINKS

https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilyplaybook

👋🏻 ABOUT US

The Jones Family Playbook is where real love, laughter, and parenthood meet. Hosted by Holly and Keith, two broadcast journalists and working parents, this weekly podcast brings a blend of humor, honesty, and heart to every conversation, creating a trusted space that feels like a growing family.

Follow Holly!

www.instagram.com/HollyHarrarTV

Follow Keith!

www.instagram.com/KeithJonesNews

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2026.

#Parenting #ParentingLife #MomLife #DadLife #FamilyLife #ToddlerLife #Marriage #TheJonesFamilyPlaybook

🎂 Keith turned TWO… so we threw a party and put a giant bounce house in his bedroom. 😂

There were more than a dozen little kids running around our house.

There was a missed nap, a very late bedtime, and - because we're apparently not allowed to have a normal family outing - a diaper blowout all over Dad's white shorts at the zoo. 💩

But somewhere in all of that chaos, we started talking about something a lot bigger:

How becoming parents changes the way you see your own parents. ❤️

We talk about how hard it can be to actually slow down and be present when you're exhausted and constantly thinking about the next thing that needs to get done.

Then Keith blows out his birthday candles, feeds himself his own cake, looks around the room… and suddenly we're both getting emotional.

Because wait… wasn't he JUST a baby?

And now he's TWO. 🥹

We also talk about the different stages boys go through with their dads, why Holly now thinks of her mom every year on her own birthday, and why raising our second child somehow feels completely different from the first time around.

Plus, we answer the important questions:

👉 Was putting a 15-foot bounce house in our house a terrible idea?

👉 Can a toddler survive a birthday without a nap?

👉 How do you actually stay present when you're completely exhausted?

👉 And are we really going to have five kids like Keith once joked about? 😳

This is one of those episodes that starts with a birthday party and somehow turns into a conversation about our childhoods, our parents, and the kind of parents we're trying to become.

If you're a parent, you probably know the feeling. ❤️

What stage are you in right now: newborn chaos, toddler years, school-age kids, teenagers? And, what has surprised you most about it?

Thanks for being part of The Jones Family Playbook. ❤️

OUR LINKS

https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilyplaybook

👋🏻 ABOUT US

The Jones Family Playbook is where real love, laughter, and parenthood meet. Hosted by Holly and Keith, two broadcast journalists and working parents, this weekly podcast brings a blend of humor, honesty, and heart to every conversation, creating a trusted space that feels like a growing family.

Follow Holly!

www.instagram.com/HollyHarrarTV

Follow Keith!

www.instagram.com/KeithJonesNews

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2026.

#Parenting #ParentingLife #MomLife #DadLife #FamilyLife #ToddlerLife #Marriage #TheJonesFamilyPlaybook

We don't agree on everything when it comes to managing our two boys—and some of our opinions might be controversial.

Is sleep training actually good for babies? Do anxious parents create anxious children? Should you take a sick kid into a public play place? And does the way you talk about your children actually shape who they become?

We also have a much more serious conversation about postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and postpartum psychosis, including the difficult questions surrounding the Lindsay Clancy trial and the challenges of understanding what can happen to a parent's mental health after having a baby.

As two journalists, we also talk about what it's like to cover traumatic stories for a living, and why some stories stay with you long after you leave the newsroom.

Plus, we're celebrating 20 episodes, showing off our brand-new podcast studio, talking about our night out at Main Line Today's Best of the Main Line & Western Suburbs party, and getting real about balancing work, parenting, marriage, and two young kids.

This is what The Jones Family Playbook is all about: honest, sometimes funny, sometimes serious, and occasionally uncomfortable conversations about parenting, marriage, babies, toddlers, and family life.

Which of our parenting opinions do YOU agree or disagree with? Tell us in the comments.

And if you're enjoying the show:

OUR LINKS

https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilyplaybook

👋🏻 ABOUT US

The Jones Family Playbook is where real love, laughter, and parenthood meet. Hosted by Holly and Keith, two broadcast journalists and working parents, this weekly podcast brings a blend of humor, honesty, and heart to every conversation, creating a trusted space that feels like a growing family.

Follow Holly!

www.instagram.com/HollyHarrarTV

Follow Keith!

www.instagram.com/KeithJonesNews

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2026.

#Parenting #ParentingPodcast #ParentingTips #SleepTraining #NewParents #ToddlerParenting #Postpartum #FamilyPodcast #MarriageAndParenting #JonesFamilyPlaybook

From Holly having the WORST luck during diaper changes, to the their first successful family dinner with two little kids, to figuring out why their toddler insists on kissing everyone he meets... this week's episode of The Jones Family Playbook is packed with the honest parenting moments every mom and dad can relate to.

If you enjoy honest conversations about parenting, marriage, newborn life, toddlers, and family adventures, be sure to subscribe and join The Jones Family Playbook every week.

💬 Tell us: What's the funniest thing that's happened since becoming a parent?

OUR LINKS: https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilyplaybook

All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2026.

Can women really have it all? Or is that expectation setting parents up to feel like they're constantly falling short?

Holly opens up about one of the hardest questions she's ever been asked: whether women can truly balance motherhood, marriage, career, and personal fulfillment. Ten years after winning Miss Philadelphia, her answer has changed.

The Joneses talk honestly about the emotional tug-of-war between staying home with your kids and pursuing a career, the pressure modern moms face, why dads feel stretched thin too, and how we're navigating life with two boys under two. Along the way, they share sweet moments with baby Callan, hilarious parenting stories, and why making time for friendships might be just as important as changing diapers.

OUR LINKS: https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilyplaybook

All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2026.