Not Quite Grownup

Send Caitlin a Text!

Caitlin gave up on layered necklaces for years because her long nails could not win a fight with a clasp, until a cheap pack of magnetic clasps changed everything. Inspired by a viral Threads thread of boring, life-changing finds under $30, she rounds up the small fixes that make daily life easier, from scissors in every room to a bin labeled "safe place," plus the one trick behind most of them.

• Send Caitlin a text with your own boring, life-changing finds, or leave a review and mention this episode.
• Read the blog post for this episode.
• Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.

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Who Should Listen...

• Moms who are tired of the small, daily frustrations that eat up energy, like the missing scissors, the dead phone, and the package you can't open
• Anyone shopping for stocking stuffers or small gifts that people will actually use
• Listeners who love the "boring but life-changing" corner of the internet and want recommendations that aren't built to sell
• Anyone who has ever put something in a "safe place" and never seen it again

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What You Get In This Episode

• The trick behind most of the list: buy a second (or third, or seventh) of whatever you need and keep it where the annoyance happens, labeled so it goes back where it belongs
• A cheap fix for fighting with necklace clasps, including multi-hook magnetic clasps for layering
• A car checklist built on the idea that the car is just another room
• A rundown of small fixes, from lazy Susans and silicone wrist guards to pill organizers and a metal cat litter scoop
• The "safe place" bin: one labeled spot to check when you can't find something

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Your Host

Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood.

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Sources & Mentions

The original Thread from @just_mejamie:

“What’s something under $30 you use constantly that nobody ever talks about? I want boring life-changing sh*t.”

• sheet locks (@megangannonreindl),
• grocery grips (@mellorell),
• a tiny bathroom-counter vacuum (@emraldsun), and one for the desk too
• motion-activated night lights (@mbduff.75),
• and the safe-place bin (@angelawithpurplehair)
• Multiple commenters for: 
  • toiletries that never leave the travel bag,
  • grabbers and car tongs,
  • bathroom smart plugs for curling-iron panic,
  • a rolling cart or labeled baskets for things that belong in other rooms
• ChomChom pet hair roller
• Caitlin is not an Amazon affiliate. Everything in this episode comes from the Threads thread or items she swears by, and there are no affiliate links in these notes.

Welcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this. 

• Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>
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• Love you, mean it. 

Support the show

Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Threads and Instagram.

Send Caitlin a Text!

"There's too much that will make you upset to not start taking action." - Caitlin

Warning: This content discusses school violence, a sensitive topic that may be triggering for some.

Update: This episode recommends YouLobby as a way to find your representatives’ contact information. That site is no longer online. To find and contact your federal, state, and local elected officials, enter your address on USA.gov’s Find and Contact Elected Officials page.

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In the wake of the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, I’m bringing this episode back again. It keeps happening. I keep having to hit republish, and I wish, more than anything, that I didn’t have to.

If you’re feeling helpless and angry right now, you’re not alone. But the women who listen to this show don’t stay helpless for long. You’re women of action.

This episode, originally from April 2023, walks you through concrete steps you can take to advocate for safer schools and prevent future tragedies. My former co-host, Jenny, and I cover effective advocacy strategies, policy changes that work, and meaningful ways to support victims’ families.

Let’s turn that fury into action and honor these victims by fighting for the safer schools our children deserve.

• Want a deeper dive on this topic? Read the blog post.
• Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.

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Who Should Listen...

• Parents and caregivers who are angry, scared, or heartbroken after another school shooting and want something concrete to do with those feelings
• Listeners looking for practical ways to take action, including contacting legislators, voting in local elections, and asking questions about their own school’s safety policies
• Anyone who wants to focus on prevention and mental health support, including listeners who see gun regulation differently but agree on keeping kids safe
• Teachers, school staff, and PTA parents who want to understand safety policies like Alyssa’s Law and how to follow and support them
• Anyone who wants to help victims, families, and affected communities in ways that go beyond a hashtag

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What You Get In This Episode

• 6 Practical ways to take action after a school shooting
• Why mental health support in schools matters—and how to advocate for it
• Policies you can advocate for, including extreme risk protection orders, safe storage laws, and Alyssa’s Law
• The power of local elections and why your vote matters for school safety
• Concrete ways to support victims and families affected by gun violence

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Your Host

Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood. She has a background in education and believes parents deserve practical steps for making their kids’ schools safer.

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Sources & Mentions

• 5 Ways to Take Action After a School Shooting | Teen Vogue
• Sandy Hook Promise
• The Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund
• Everytown Support Fund
• Protect Our Schools
• Make Our Schools Safe
• March For Our Lives

Welcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this. 

• Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>
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• Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. 
• Love you, mean it. 

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Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Threads and Instagram.

Send Caitlin a Text!

Caitlin and her best friend almost ghosted each other for their monthly standing dinner date, and the panic that followed turned into a real revelation about why adult friendships that felt effortless all summer suddenly take so much more work once fall hits.

• Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.

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Who Should Listen...

• Moms who've realized their adult friendships ran almost entirely on summer proximity—pool days, camp pickup, kids colliding at the park
• Anyone who's had that gut-drop moment of almost missing time with a close friend
• Listeners who feel like they're "complaining a lot lately" and need the reminder that naming what's hard isn't the same as failing at life
• Fans of Caitlin and Jenny's friendship who want an update

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What You Get In This Episode

• Why adult friendships often depend more on built-in summer structure (pool days, camp pickup, kid overlap) than people realize
• The moment Caitlin and her best friend Jenny each texted the other asking "did I stand you up?" — and what that panic revealed
• A concrete, low-effort fix: picking a date, adding it to shared calendars, booking the reservation, and setting multiple reminders
• A recap tying together the last few episodes' themes — none of it is a personal failing, it's just what happens inside systems she didn't build

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Your Host

Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood.

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Sources & Mentions

• Jenny: Caitlin's best friend and former co-host, referenced throughout for their standing monthly dinner date
• The Grove (Austin area): the restaurant where Caitlin and Jenny have their standing date
• Gossiping at The Grove: a candle from a local shop, a gift from Jenny referencing their tradition
• Threads: @not_quite_grownup: where listeners can reach out with episode topic ideas
• Text link at the top of the show notes: another way for you to send in topic requests
• Callbacks to recent episodes: the day-four back-to-school routine episode, the mental load / $600 episode, and the fall vibes crochet pumpkin episode

Welcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this. 

• Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>
• Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.
• Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. 
• Love you, mean it. 

Support the show

Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Threads and Instagram.

Send Caitlin a Text!

It's still over 90 degrees out, but Caitlin has already crocheted five pumpkins, one fall leaf, and fully committed to a Halloween playlist she started listening to in July. This episode is a fully unhinged, very funny confession about why fall is more than a season for her—it's a mood she has to manufacture by force.

📧 Sign up for Caitlin's email list to get the crocheted pumpkin photos sent straight to your inbox. And Fall Girlies: Answer the poll in the blog post for this episode to let Caitlin know you're listening!

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Who Should Listen...

• Anyone who's ever gotten irrationally mad at Halloween candy showing up in stores in August
• "Fall girlies" who start decorating before the weather cooperates
• Listeners who want something light, funny, and low-stakes after some heavier recent episodes
• All y’all who cope with an unbearable season by throwing youreselves into a project (craft or otherwise)

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What You Get In This Episode

• A very honest confession: fall isn't just a season for Caitlin, it's a mood she has to manufacture herself for her mental health
• The real epiphany: she was never actually mad at Halloween candy showing up early—she's mad that summer refuses to end
• Her current fall arsenal: one crocheted leaf, five crocheted pumpkins, three real pumpkins, and zero regrets
• A reminder that sometimes coping with a season you can't control looks like a completely ridiculous craft project, and that's fine

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Your Host

Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood.

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Sources & Mentions

• H-E-B—referenced for its early seasonal displays (Halloween candy, Día de los Muertos decor) and, lovingly, for "doing the Lord's work"
• Caitlin's favorite Halloween Party playlist, including "Werewolves of London" and "Thriller," (started playing this in July)
• Black Panther—mentioned as background viewing during a crochet session
• Email list signup—link at the top of the show notes for anyone who wants to see those famous crocheted pumpkins

Welcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this. 

• Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>
• Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.
• Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. 
• Love you, mean it. 

Support the show

Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Threads and Instagram.

Send Caitlin a Text!

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My Back-to-School Overwhelm Cost Me $600

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A triple-charged PTA fee, an unread dentist appointment reminder, and 9 unopened school emails on Labor Day morning—Caitlin's mental load hit a breaking point before fall even really started. This episode is about why that "admin crap" always seems to land on one parent, and why missing something doesn't mean you're failing.

• Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.

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You Need This Episode If...

• You’re a mom carrying the bulk of household and school administrative tasks, even if you’re in a relationship with a genuinely helpful partner
• Anyone who's missed a form, a fee, or a deadline and spiraled into shame about it
• Parents feeling the fall administrative overwhelm hit before the season's even really underway
• Listeners who assume they're just "bad at tracking things" when the real issue is structural

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What You'll Get

• Why the mental load of school admin defaults to one parent—even in households with genuinely equal partners
• A reframe: missing something isn't a personal failing, it's evidence of a workload that was never built for one person to carry
• Why "8 productivity hacks to stop missing things" isn't the answer, and what to focus on instead
• Real, small ways Caitlin's distributing the load: writing things down immediately, handing off specific tasks to her husband, scheduling reminders instead of relying on memory
• An invitation to share your own "unset dentist appointment" story for solidarity

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Your Host

Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood.

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Programming Note

Caitlin's moving from weekly to biweekly episodes going forward, to give her the space to do this show well.

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Sources & Mentions

• Ali Wong's comedy special Don Wong—referenced for her line about how much more successful she'd be with a wife
• The Help—referenced briefly regarding the historical unpaid labor of Black women managing households for white women
• Smash Mouth's "All Star"—referenced/paraphrased ("the tasks keep coming and they don't stop coming")

Welcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this. 

• Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>
• Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.
• Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. 
• Love you, mean it. 

Support the show

Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Threads and Instagram.

Send Caitlin a Text!

It's day four of school, the bus comes in six minutes, and Caitlin's carefully planned back-to-school systems have already fallen apart. This episode is about what happened when trying harder wasn't the answer, and the one new thing that actually stuck in this year's routine.

• Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.

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Who Should Listen

• Moms whose back-to-school routines are already falling apart, even after real planning
• Anyone who's bought the new planner, the color-coded pens, or the habit tracker app that died by day four
• Parents who feel like they're failing at their own advice
• Listeners who need to hear that it's okay if the "right" systems just don't work for your family

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What You'll Get

• Why a system can work perfectly over the summer and still collapse by day four of the school year
• The real problem: it's not laziness or lack of effort; it's building routines for a family that doesn't actually exist in your house
• Why the "new planner, new me" trap rarely works, and why that's not a personal failing
• The one small change Caitlin's keeping (four words: teeth, socks, shoes, backpack) and why it's working where everything else didn't
• A reminder that the routine or system that'll actually stick is probably already in your house—it's just not the shiny new one

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Your Host

Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood.

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Sources & Mentions

• School Morning Rules for Moms Who Hate Mornings by @rosettewilson_ on Threads
• Next episode teaser: the avalanche of back-to-school paperwork and forms

Welcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this. 

• Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>
• Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.
• Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. 
• Love you, mean it. 

Support the show

Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Threads and Instagram.

Send Caitlin a Text!

Your Favorite Summer Habits Don't Have to Retire in September

Just as I finally settle into summer ease, the back-to-school countdown starts creeping back in. In the finale of the Sane Mom Summer series, I ask the question that matters most as fall approaches: does the joy have to end just because summer does? (Spoiler: duh, no.)

• Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.

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Who Should Listen

• Moms who feel that familiar anxiety creeping back in as summer winds down
• Parents who tend to let self-care slide the second the school year starts
• Moms looking for a simple, doable way to protect the good parts of summer through fall
• Anyone who's followed the Sane Mom Summer series and wants the wrap-up

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What You'll Get

• Why summer joy tends to disappear the second school starts
• Heather Moulder's self-care equation, and why "self-care" belongs above the to-do list instead of buried at the bottom of it
• A simple exercise: naming three specific things from summer that genuinely made you feel like yourself
• How to actually protect that time with one bigger, calendar-worthy ritual and one small, recurring one
• The throughline for the whole Sane Mom Summer series: you get to notice what works for you and build around it

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Your Host

Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood.

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Sources & Mentions

• Heather Moulder's self-care equation (work + family + chores + other — with "other" including self-care), referenced as the framework for prioritizing self-care in the epsiode 
  • How To Stop Feeling Guilty About Taking Care Of Yourself | Heather Moulder
  • How To Say No Without Feeling Guilt (Step-By-Step Instructions) | Heather Moulder
• Sane Mom Summer series: 
  • Episode 205: Lowering the standard for a less “picture perfect” summer
  • Episode 206: Confidence
  • Episode 207: Not letting the internet dictate your summer
  • Episode 208: ADHD in summer mode
  • Episode 209: Making the B2S transition more manageable

Welcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this. 

• Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>
• Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.
• Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. 
• Love you, mean it. 

Support the show

Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Threads and Instagram.

Send Caitlin a Text!

A back-to-school commercial ruined Caitlin's day—and made her realize why the whole season feels like a giant mom-run group project. In this episode, she breaks down why back-to-school hits so hard, and shares real (borrowed, stolen, and tested) tips to make the transition feel manageable.

Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.

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Who Should Listen

• Moms feeling that tight-chest anxiety just thinking about back-to-school
• Parents managing the shift from loose summer routines back into school-year logistics
• Parents of kids having big feelings about a grade-level milestone (last year of elementary, etc.)
• Anyone in the Sane Mom Summer series looking to carry that "easier on yourself" energy into fall

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What You Get In This Episode

• Why back-to-school hits so much harder than it should: (because it's more than a logistics checklist, it’s a full family transition)
• A reframe that makes it manageable: Change “let’s have the perfect first day” to “what actually matters right now?”
• Four practical resets: reset sleep/wake times early, simplify the first week, use visual supports, and talk openly with your kid about the transition
• A grab bag of extra tips—practicing the school drive, tax-free shopping weekends, the lunchbox leftovers talk, and a genius trick for back-to-school clothes shopping
• A reminder that it’s okay for the first two to three weeks to be a little bumpy!

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Host Bio

Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood.

Sources & Mentions

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• Episode 77 — "Back to School Prep: Two Teachers and Moms Help You Start the School Year Right" (with former co-host Jenny), for additional back-to-school tips
• Sane Mom Summer series recap: Episode 1 (lowering the bar), Episode 2 (confidence), Episode 3 (not letting the internet run your nervous system), Episode 4 (ADHD in summer mode)
• Tax-free weekend / state sales tax holiday for back-to-school shopping in Texas: Friday, August 7, through Sunday, August 9, 2026
• Next episode teaser: wrapping the Sane Mom Summer series by carrying summer's ease into the school year

Welcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this. 

• Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>
• Follow on Instagram and Threads @not_quite_grownup.
• Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. 
• Love you, mean it. 

Support the show

Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Threads and Instagram.

Send Caitlin a Text!

How Summer Secretly Wrecks Your ADHD Brain

School's out, routines are gone, and if your ADHD brain feels extra chaotic right now, you're not lazy — you're just missing the structure summer quietly stole from you. In this episode of the Sane Mom Summer series, Caitlin breaks down why ADHD symptoms intensify in summer and shares real, low-effort supports that actually help.

• Stay up-to-date with Not Quite Grownup. Join the email list.

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Who Should Listen

• Moms with ADHD (diagnosed or self-suspected) who feel more scattered, emotional, or overstimulated once summer hits
• Parents managing shifting routines, camp schedules, and loosened structure
• Anyone in the Not Quite Grown Up "Sane Mom Summer" series looking for practical, non-glamorous coping tools
• Listeners who feel shame around not "enjoying summer enough"

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What You Get in This Episode

• A reframe for ADHD shame: scattered ≠ lazy — it means your brain needs different supports, not more willpower
• Why summer specifically wrecks ADHD coping mechanisms (hint: it's the missing structure, not you)
• The "acceptance before action" mindset, borrowed from an unexpected source (Amanda Knox)
• Five concrete, unglamorous tools: visible reminders, external structure, task-shrinking, action-before-motivation, and low-stakes systems (baskets, checklists, snack bins, alarms)
• Permission to stop chasing motivation and just start the smallest possible step

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Your Host

Caitlin Kindred is the host of Not Quite Grownup, a podcast for moms navigating the gap between who they're "supposed" to be and the messy, real version of adulthood. Diagnosed with ADHD at 38, she brings that lens to episodes like this one, talking openly about what actually helps rather than what's supposed to.

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Sources & Mentions

• Sane Mom Summer series: 
  • Episode 205 — Lowering the standard for summer
  • Episode 206 — Confidence
  • Episode 207 — Not letting the internet dictate your summer
  • Episode 208 (this one) — ADHD in summer mode

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What’s Next

Back-to-school without the mommy meltdown

Welcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this. 

• Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>
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• Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. 
• Love you, mean it. 

Support the show

Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Threads and Instagram.

Send Caitlin a Text!

You started summer with one goal: keep life calmer, lighter, less chaotic. Then you scrolled for two minutes and suddenly your summer looks underwhelming compared to someone else's perfectly curated highlights. Your nervous system is dysregulated, your confidence is shaken, and you're convinced everyone else has figured something out that you missed. Let’s fix that.

• Click here for this episode’s blog post with links to sources and even more content.
• Stay connected: Get reminder emails!

Summary

Your real life matters more than content, even when it doesn't photograph well. A meaningful summer doesn't require a curated feed. It requires protecting your attention and refusing to absorb other people's chaos as your own. This episode shows you how.

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You Need This Episode If...

• You feel tense, anxious, or "behind" after scrolling
• You're scrolling for relief when you're tired but ending up more fried
• Your feed makes you feel like you’re sucking at summer

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What You'll Get

• Why your brain reaches for social media when tired (and why it backfires)
• How algorithms actually work—dwell time is the algo-impact you didn't know about
• Clear signs your feed is dysregulating you
• 4 practical boundaries that fit real mom life (ex: “shower before screens”)
• A self-check question to stop spiraling and return to what's actually real

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Your Host

Caitlin is the host of Not Quite Grownup and a content marketer who knows her way around an algorithm. She's also the woman who will pry Threads from her cold, dead hands, so this isn't about quitting social media—it's about protecting your peace within it.

Welcome to Not Quite Grownup. Let's do this. 

• Subscribe to join other Not Quite Grownups here >>>
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• Please, rate, review, and subscribe for more Not Quite Grownup stories. 
• Love you, mean it. 

Support the show

Visit notquitegrownup.com for more content and the latest updates. Or connect on social media @not_quite_grownup on Threads and Instagram.