Parenthood Prep

Have you ever seen a tiny child cruising around on a bike with no pedals and wondered what on earth is happening? In this episode, I'm talking about balance bikes, why they are fantastic, and why training wheels are officially on my list of parenting things I hate.

Training wheels may seem like the classic way to teach a kid to ride a bike, but I'm making the case for doing things differently. Balance bikes help kids build the skills that actually matter first, while training wheels can create habits that have to be unlearned later. And if you're thinking, "But Devon, I learned on training wheels," do not worry. I have thoughts about that too.

I'm breaking down what balance bikes are, how they work, why they can make bike riding feel more natural for kids, and what to consider if buying both a balance bike and a pedal bike feels like too much. This episode will help you rethink the classic training-wheels approach and see why a tiny bike with no pedals might be exactly what your kid needs.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/101

Want to join the fun and never miss an episode? Subscribe to Happy Family After on your favorite podcast app! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/happyfamilyafter/ or visit https://HappyFamilyAfter.com to ask questions, share your thoughts, or even roast your baby (yes, really!).

Parenthood Prep has hit 100 episodes, and naturally, Margaret and I are celebrating the only way that makes sense: with birthday presents, stickers, baby outfit opinions, Australian listener shoutouts, and a very serious brainstorm about "top 100" babies, baby products, baby outfits, and whatever else our brains decide belongs on the list.

In this episode, Margaret and I sit down for a BTS 100th episode planning session that turns into a very on-brand mix of baby sleep, baby clothes, favorite babies, podcast consistency, and why newborns in real clothes look like "putting a cat in pants." We also get into a solid clearance sale baby clothes strategy, family Christmas pajamas, Australia's baby sleep schools, and the kind of sleep and baby-care tangents that only happen when we are technically supposed to be planning something.

Most of all, this episode is a celebration of making it to 100 episodes. 100 episodes of Parenthood Prep are officially out in the world, and that is a big deal.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/100

Want to join the fun and never miss an episode? Subscribe to Happy Family After on your favorite podcast app! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/happyfamilyafter/ or visit https://HappyFamilyAfter.com to ask questions, share your thoughts, or even roast your baby (yes, really!).

There are some things past me would have judged very hard, and apparently two of them are saying "thank you" when my partner does basic chores and enjoying doing basically everything together. I know. The horror.

In this episode, I'm talking about the relationship habits I used to judge, starting with thanking your partner for ordinary, expected things around the house. I'm getting into why I used to see that as rewarding the bare minimum, why that reaction made sense at the time, and what changed when I stopped expecting disappointment as the default setting.

I'm also talking about another thing past me would have rolled her eyes at: doing so much together as a couple. Baby care, kitten care, weekends, friends, all of it. Turns out, wanting to do things with your partner does not mean you are incapable of doing them alone. Sometimes it just means you actually like the person you chose, which, honestly, is a delightful development.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/99

Want to join the fun and never miss an episode? Subscribe to Happy Family After on your favorite podcast app! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/happyfamilyafter/ or visit https://HappyFamilyAfter.com to ask questions, share your thoughts, or even roast your baby (yes, really!).

Do you want your niece, grandbaby, friend's baby, or favorite tiny human to come stay with you, but their parents are not exactly throwing the diaper bag in your direction?

In this episode, I'm talking to the grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, and beloved baby-adjacent adults who want more time with the baby but need to understand what makes parents feel safe enough to say yes. Because borrowing a baby is not just about loving them, squeezing them, and buying them one adorable outfit too many. Parents need to know their baby will be safe, fed, rested, supervised, and returned without a suitcase full of chaos and laundry.

I'm walking you through how to become the person parents happily trust with their kiddo, from learning the car seat and safe sleep rules to sticking to the baby's schedule, respecting their preferences, handling pickups and drop-offs, and not rolling your eyes when they remind you about choking hazards for the 400th time. If you want more baby time, this episode will help you become the kind of person parents are excited to hand the baby to again and again.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/98

Want to join the fun and never miss an episode? Subscribe to Happy Family After on your favorite podcast app! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/happyfamilyafter/ or visit https://HappyFamilyAfter.com to ask questions, share your thoughts, or even roast your baby (yes, really!).

I used to have a lot of very strong opinions about parenting. Like, 2006 message-board-level strong opinions. Sleep training was terrible, formula was suspicious, and there was definitely a "right" way to be a good parent. Cute, right? Deeply exhausting, but cute.

In this episode, I'm reflecting on things I would have judged myself for in the past, starting with one of the biggest shifts in my own beliefs: sleep training.

Tune in this week as I dive into internet parenting culture and what happens when your ideas about babies are shaped more by articles and message boards than by real families, real sleep deprivation, and real life. I'm also sharing the moment I found myself feeding a newborn formula in a car seat in the dead of winter and realized 2006 me would have been absolutely horrified. This episode is about sleep training, yes, but it's also about letting go of rigid parenting rules, giving other parents more grace, and remembering that there is no one perfect way to love and care for a baby.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/97

Want to join the fun and never miss an episode? Subscribe to Happy Family After on your favorite podcast app! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/happyfamilyafter/ or visit https://HappyFamilyAfter.com to ask questions, share your thoughts, or even roast your baby (yes, really!).

The secret to happier partnered parenthood is acting like you're divorced. Before you panic, this is not an episode about getting divorced. In this episode, I'm joined again by Margaret Mason Tate to talk about why so many partnered parents accidentally fall into one person becoming the default parent for basically everything. Margaret and I break down how to borrow the best parts of a custody agreement without needing the divorce part, thank you very much. You'll hear how to think about dividing weekends, activities, holidays, and responsibilities in a way that gives both parents real ownership, real time off, and fewer opportunities to build a tiny resentment empire in the corner of your marriage.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/96

Want to join the fun and never miss an episode? Subscribe to Happy Family After on your favorite podcast app! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/happyfamilyafter/ or visit https://HappyFamilyAfter.com to ask questions, share your thoughts, or even roast your baby (yes, really!).

What happens to your friendships after you have a baby? Spoiler alert: they change.

In this episode, I'm joined by my best friend Margaret Mason Tate to talk about what happens when one person has a baby, and the friendship suddenly has a brand-new cast member nobody fully prepared for.

Margaret and I get very honest about what both sides can do to stay connected, from telling the truth to inviting friends into the trenches, giving each other grace, and remembering that your baby can be your tiny beloved chaos goblin without becoming your only relationship.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/95

Want to join the fun and never miss an episode? Subscribe to Happy Family After on your favorite podcast app! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/happyfamilyafter/ or visit https://HappyFamilyAfter.com to ask questions, share your thoughts, or even roast your baby (yes, really!).

We've talked about sleep training babies, older kids, and even yourself. But what about the other beloved family member currently ruining your sleep? Yes, I'm talking about your pet.

In this episode, I'm taking a little detour into pet parenting and showing you how many of the same principles we use with babies can also apply to cats, dogs, foster kittens, and any other creature in your house who has decided that dawn is their personal customer service hour.

I share how to think through the actual problem, get ahead of your objections, set boundaries, and stay consistent long enough for your pet to realize that the breakfast buffet does not open before you do.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/94

Want to join the fun and never miss an episode? Subscribe to Happy Family After on your favorite podcast app! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/happyfamilyafter/ or visit https://HappyFamilyAfter.com to ask questions, share your thoughts, or even roast your baby (yes, really!).

Is bath time one more thing standing between you and bedtime, or could it actually become the best part of the day?

In this episode, I'm making the case for bath time as more than just another chore on the endless parent to-do list. Yes, your child gets clean. But bath time can also be fun, calming, and a magical little reset when everyone is cranky and the day has gone fully off the rails.

I'm walking you through the different stages of bathing babies and kids, from those first newborn baths when everyone is terrified of either freezing or boiling the baby, to the glorious toddler phase when they can splash around while you sit nearby and remember what it feels like to not chase someone across the house for five minutes.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/93

Want to join the fun and never miss an episode? Subscribe to Happy Family After on your favorite podcast app! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/happyfamilyafter/ or visit https://HappyFamilyAfter.com to ask questions, share your thoughts, or even roast your baby (yes, really!).

Do you have a tough baby, or are you currently pregnant and low-key terrified you might end up with one of those babies who seems impossible to soothe?

After years of working with babies, I've learned that some babies really are harder than others. Sometimes there's something going on beneath the surface, sometimes it's temperament, and sometimes you can do everything "right" and still have a baby who is just having a very loud, very committed experience of being alive.

In this episode, I'm sharing what I've learned from caring for truly tough babies, what's worth paying attention to, and how to think about the moments when nothing seems to work. If you're in the thick of it, this episode will help you feel less alone, less blamed, and a little more equipped to get through the hard days without completely losing your marbles.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/92

Want to join the fun and never miss an episode? Subscribe to Happy Family After on your favorite podcast app! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/happyfamilyafter/ or visit https://HappyFamilyAfter.com to ask questions, share your thoughts, or even roast your baby (yes, really!).