Life Kit: Parenting

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Kids & Family

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Raising awesome kids takes help. NPR has science and experts to get you through the toughest parenting moments. Subscribe to get episodes from Life Kit on parenting.

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Kids and firearm safety

11.30.2023

Firearms are the number one cause of death for children and teens in the U.S. Parents can take life-saving precautions to protect children — whether or not you own a gun.

Life Kit: Parenting episodes:

11.30.2023 Kids and firearm safety Firearms are the number one cause of death for children and teens in the U.S. Parents can take life-saving precautions to protect children — whether or not you own a gun.
10.12.2023 How to talk to kids about the violence in Israel and Gaza Last weekend, militants from the terrorist group Hamas killed more than a thousand people, including children, in an attack on Israel while also taking hostages. Israel has ordered a full siege of Gaza, where nearly half of residents are under ...
09.18.2023 The consequences of overindulging your kids Overindulging kids when they're young can lead to negative effects in their adulthoods. But it's hard for parents to put their foot down when they want to avoid a conflict at all costs. Child psychologist Lauren Silvers has tips for ...
08.14.2023 The 5-minute playtime ritual that can help your kids listen Children's health professionals widely recommend a strategy known as 'special time' to help reduce behavioral issues in young children. This episode explains how to do it and why this simple and free tool is so powerful.
07.18.2023 How to be a supportive adult in a kid's life While there's endless advice for parents, there's little guidance on supporting kids for non-parents. Whether you're an aunt, uncle, godparent, or a family friend, here's how to have healthy, fulfilling relationships with kids that are not yours. We'll cover how ...
06.05.2023 Why you should play video games with your kid Video games get a bad reputation that's often unwarranted. But kids do need guidance in using them wisely. Here's how to help them, starting with spending some time with the games your kids can't put down.
05.11.2023 Pregnant? Here's how to deal with the new you Pregnancy is hard work – for the body, mind and soul. There are seemingly endless resources for all the physical and logistical aspects of pregnancy but far fewer for renegotiating your sense of self in every part of your life. ...
05.01.2023 Build a stronger connection with your kids It may sound counterintuitive, but if you want to take charge as a parent, stop trying to control your child, says psychologist and author Shefali Tsabary. Her new book, "The Parenting Map," lays out a step-by-step guide for creating conscious ...
03.30.2023 How to show up for teens when big emotions arise Being a teenager is hard. There are emotional highs and lows every day. Clinical psychologist Lisa Damour says instead of jumping into problem-solving mode, parents can learn to ride the wave of emotional management with their teens. NPR's Rachel Martin ...
02.07.2023 Creative way to get kids to eat their veggies Veggies help kids grow and develop, but it can be hard to convince them to eat their broccoli. These research-backed tips can help you encourage your kids to eat more veggies — or at least try them.
01.21.2023 'Terrestrials,' a new kid's show from Radiolab, uncovers the strangeness on Earth This is the story of one particularly devious octopus who lost a limb, was captured by humans — then managed to make an escape from its aquarium tank back into the ocean. This episode comes from our friends at 'Terrestrials,' ...
10.17.2022 The 5-minute daily playtime ritual that can get your kids to listen better Called 'special time,' the strategy is widely recommended by children's health professionals to help reduce behavioral issues in young children. Here's a guide on how to do it with your kids at home.
09.26.2022 Why you should connect with your kid, not correct them Psychologist Becky Kennedy, author of the new book "Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be," urges parents to spend more time raising thoughtful humans instead of fixing their behavior.
07.26.2022 How to financially prepare for having a baby Having a baby is one of the biggest - and most expensive - life changes a person can experience. Here's what you need to know about financially planning for a baby, according to Farnoosh Torabi, Editor at Large CNET Money. ...
07.21.2022 How to talk to kids about abortion Talking about abortion can be complicated, even with adults. How do you talk about the medical procedure and the politics around it with kids? NPR's Ailsa Chang gets tips from Dr. Elise Berlan and parenting expert Reena Patel.
06.27.2022 How to raise a good citizen Talking to kids about civics is kind of like talking to kids about sex - avoiding the conversation can have some really negative consequences. Here's how to talk to kids about civic participation, from discussing our hard history to taking ...
05.28.2022 What to say to kids when the news is scary The news can be devastating, and tragic events can be incomprehensible for adults — so how do we talk about them with kids? Child development experts offer advice on what parents, teachers and other caregivers can say to help kids ...
05.10.2022 How to give mothering the value it deserves Raising kids is among the most essential work humans do, and yet it's rarely valued as labor. Angela Garbes, author of Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change, guides us through a shift in mindset to help give mothering the value ...
03.24.2022 How working parents can win back some time Calling all working parents and caregivers! We see you, and we know you don't have much time. Career coach Daisy Dowling shares time management tips to help working parents find sanity and joy.
01.08.2022 A pediatrician's advice on omicron, daycare and travel for kids under 5 Amid the omicron surge, there is understandable anxiety among parents, particularly those with kids under 5. In this episode, infectious disease doctor Ibukun Kalu answers listeners' questions on the latest COVID variant, daycare and travel for unvaccinated children.
11.11.2021 5 Tips For Transferring Colleges Most students who want to transfer colleges, don't. The process can be complicated and confusing and differ from state to state and institution to institution. Despite these hurdles, transferring is a common route to college. So how do you make ...
11.08.2021 How To Build A Sleep Routine For You And Your Children Getting enough sleep helps you focus, retain information and helps to fortify your immune system. But when it comes to children, they aren't always thinking about these benefits. For parents and caretakers struggling to get their little ones to bed ...
10.19.2021 Finding Agency With A Birth Plan For expectant parents, navigating pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum can raise a range of emotions. There are so many things to think about and prepare for, and knowing where to start can feel daunting. But a birth plan can help! In ...
09.30.2021 It's FAFSA Time! Here's How To Apply For College Financial Aid The Free Application for Federal Student Aid opens to potential college students to fill out on Oct. 1 for the 2022-2023 school year. Here's how to fill out the form to get money for college — and why you should ...
09.28.2021 How You Can Help Someone At Risk Of Suicide Research shows that suicide is preventable. And while surveys have shown that Americans know this, they might not know how to help someone who may be at risk. It's National Suicide Prevention Month, and we're looking at ways you can ...
09.27.2021 How Reading Aloud Can Help You Bond With Your Kids Reading at school is one thing, but reading at home is important too. Though with busy schedules filled with after school activities, homework and lots of tech at kids' fingertips, it's not always easy to convince kids that reading isn't ...
09.20.2021 In 'We're Not Broken,' Author Eric Garcia Takes On Myths About Autism Whether you know it or not, you know somebody who is autistic. So if you think autism doesn't affect you, you're wrong, says Eric Garcia. In this episode, Garcia, author of We're Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation, talks about ...
08.30.2021 How To Keep Your Kids Safe From The Delta Variant Returning to in-person schooling is both a relief — and a source of great anxiety — for a lot of parents this year. The pandemic is still happening. The Delta variant is surging. And millions of children are too young ...
08.19.2021 5 Tips For Becoming A Stepparent Becoming a parent is challenging and the same is true for those becoming stepparents. In this episode, we talk to experts — some of whom are stepparents themselves — about how you can navigate the process. They share their do's: ...
08.16.2021 Do's And Don'ts For Parents Whose Kids Have Gained Weight In The Pandemic If you've noticed that your kid put on some weight during the pandemic and you're not sure what — if anything — to do about it, you're not alone. Weight is an incredibly fraught topic — and an imperfect indicator ...
08.09.2021 A Business-Minded Way To Make Tough Family Decisions Having elementary-aged kids at home can mean a maze of tough decisions about how to run your family and what's right for your small children. Economist Emily Oster offers ways to streamline decision-making with strategies — and data — that ...
08.05.2021 The Process Of Becoming A Mother Has A Name: Matrescence Becoming a mother is a huge, complicated life transition that can rock every fiber of a person's being. The process even has its own name: matrescence. That postpartum feeling of being on an emotional rollercoaster, not recognizing your body in ...
08.03.2021 Money Talks: How To Teach Kids About Finance Money can feel like a taboo topic in a lot of households, but talking about it regularly can take the awkwardness out of it. Kids see and do everything that we do, and that's true when it comes to money, ...
07.26.2021 How To Talk About Divorce With Your Children Even the most amicable split is world-changing for young children. Here are a few key tips for grown-ups trying to help their kids navigate this big transition. (This episode originally published April 26, 2019.)
05.06.2021 Finding The Perfect Name For Your Baby Picking a name for a baby can be overwhelming. With all the possibilities out in the world, it can be hard to even begin to choose. On this episode of Life Kit, host Diana Opong speaks with baby naming experts ...
04.12.2021 Navigating Life After Pregnancy Loss Despite how common pregnancy loss is, families often suffer in silence. In honor of Black Maternal Health Week, Life Kit teamed up with the hosts of the podcast docuseries NATAL to share stories from parents who have experienced loss, and ...
04.10.2021 Raising Boys To Be Feminists Author Sonora Jha shares insights from her memoir, How To Raise A Feminist Son, which includes practical to-do lists about how to handle some of the hardest conversations with sons.
04.01.2021 Raising Kids Who Help With Chores Raising kids who pitch in around your home doesn't require bribes or a chore chart. Kids want to help – and parents can nurture that desire by including them in age-appropriate ways.
03.27.2021 Talking With Kids About Anti-Asian Racism Navigating conversations with kids around race and racism can be tricky. Here's what to think about while talking to kids about the rise in anti-Asian attacks and the shootings in Atlanta earlier this month.
03.25.2021 Helping Teens Cope With Mental Health Struggles Over a year into the pandemic, many teens are missing milestones and struggling with their mental health. Here's how to spot red flags and when to get help.
03.01.2021 Deciding When To Have A Baby Whether you've always wanted to be a parent or not, starting a family is a big decision. The pandemic makes it even tougher. In this episode, experts talk through what to consider.
01.07.2021 What To Tell Kids When The News Is Scary When the headlines are terrifying, how can parents make sure kids get the facts without traumatizing them? Whether it's a school shooting, a global pandemic or an insurrection on the U.S. Capitol, child development experts have some advice. (This episode ...
12.10.2020 Helping Kids (And Parents) Cope During COVID-19 Kids and teens have had their lives upended by COVID-19. Here's what parents can do to help them stay positive and feel supported.
11.16.2020 Transforming Kids' Worries Into Superpowers Kids have anxiety — but it's not always a bad thing. Renee Jain and Dr. Shefali Tsabary have some ideas about how to help children use those feelings to their advantage.
11.02.2020 How To Raise Good Citizens Now is a good time to talk to the kids in your life about how to engage in civics. Here's a primer from our Life Kit parenting team.
10.22.2020 FAFSA 2020: Here's How To Apply For College Financial Aid The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is now open to potential college students to fill out. Here's how to fill out the form to get money for college — and why you should apply now instead of waiting.
09.08.2020 A Simple Equation to Help Kids Love Math Math anxiety is real for kids and adults. But parents can help. The solution goes beyond equations and textbooks.
08.13.2020 How To Make Sure Your Child Learns This School Year This school year, families with children are in a serious bind. Whether you're looking for options for childcare or need resources to keep your kid entertained, this episode will walk through some ideas to think about.
07.21.2020 How To Work With — Not Against — Screen Time Some parents think the best way to manage a child's screen time is to set hard limits. But those rules are particularly difficult to keep during a pandemic, when screens are a lifeline for all of us. So what should ...
06.22.2020 Kids Know How To Occupy Themselves. We Need To Let Them Do It American parents often feel like event planners for their kids. There's a pressure to make sure kids are entertained and content every minute of the day. NPR's Michaeleen Doucleff says kids can be trained to occupy themselves.

Older episodes

Life Kit: Parenting

What's Life Kit: Parenting about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Life Kit: Parenting episodes:

Kids and firearm safety

How to talk to kids about the violence in Israel and Gaza

The consequences of overindulging your kids

The 5-minute playtime ritual that can help your kids listen

How to be a supportive adult in a kid's life

Why you should play video games with your kid

Pregnant? Here's how to deal with the new you

Build a stronger connection with your kids

How to show up for teens when big emotions arise

Creative way to get kids to eat their veggies

'Terrestrials,' a new kid's show from Radiolab, uncovers the strangeness on Earth

The 5-minute daily playtime ritual that can get your kids to listen better

Why you should connect with your kid, not correct them

How to financially prepare for having a baby

How to talk to kids about abortion

How to raise a good citizen

What to say to kids when the news is scary

How to give mothering the value it deserves

How working parents can win back some time

A pediatrician's advice on omicron, daycare and travel for kids under 5

5 Tips For Transferring Colleges

How To Build A Sleep Routine For You And Your Children

Finding Agency With A Birth Plan

It's FAFSA Time! Here's How To Apply For College Financial Aid

How You Can Help Someone At Risk Of Suicide

How Reading Aloud Can Help You Bond With Your Kids

In 'We're Not Broken,' Author Eric Garcia Takes On Myths About Autism

How To Keep Your Kids Safe From The Delta Variant

5 Tips For Becoming A Stepparent

Do's And Don'ts For Parents Whose Kids Have Gained Weight In The Pandemic

A Business-Minded Way To Make Tough Family Decisions

The Process Of Becoming A Mother Has A Name: Matrescence

Money Talks: How To Teach Kids About Finance

How To Talk About Divorce With Your Children

Finding The Perfect Name For Your Baby

Navigating Life After Pregnancy Loss

Raising Boys To Be Feminists

Raising Kids Who Help With Chores

Talking With Kids About Anti-Asian Racism

Helping Teens Cope With Mental Health Struggles

Deciding When To Have A Baby

What To Tell Kids When The News Is Scary

Helping Kids (And Parents) Cope During COVID-19

Transforming Kids' Worries Into Superpowers

How To Raise Good Citizens

FAFSA 2020: Here's How To Apply For College Financial Aid

A Simple Equation to Help Kids Love Math

How To Make Sure Your Child Learns This School Year

How To Work With — Not Against — Screen Time

Kids Know How To Occupy Themselves. We Need To Let Them Do It