Slate Conversations

On this episode: Elizabeth Newcamp, Zak Rosen, and Jamilah Lemieux talk about the birds and the bees. 

Parents don’t often get to talk about their sex lives out in the open… So this Valentine’s week, we thought we’d open the door to all things romance. 

First up: we answer a listener question about managing different sex drives and all the normal parenting stuff. Then you’ll hear from resident single mom Jamilah about the logistics of swiping and dating with a kid in the house.

We’ll also share a round of recommendations — and then, if you’re in the Slate Plus club, we’ll basically have a “hating Valentine’s Day” support circle. 

Recommendations: 

Elizabeth recommends: Super Simple Biology

Jamilah recommends: Grilling your PB&J

Zak recommends: Recording your kids' laughter and dating it.

Care & Feeding is sponsored by Betterhelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/CAREANDFEEDING today to get 10% off your first month.

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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Maura Currie, with special thanks to Rosemary Belson.

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This week, host June Thomas talks to writer Adam Sisman about his two biographies of the late spy novelist John le Carré. In the interview, Adam discusses how he managed to land such an exciting project and how he was granted so much access to le Carré, whose real name was David Cornwell. He also talks about his friendly but complicated relationship with le Carre and some surprising findings that almost derailed the whole project. 

After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler share research tips for nonfiction book projects. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Adam explains the importance of in-person interviewing. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.

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In this episode, Gia Peppers (Healed Girl Era and More Than That) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to set boundaries with your friend now boss, how to help a friend who won’t help herself, and to determine if there’s a red flag in a work-spouse relationship.

If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée answers an extra question every week, just for members. 

Go to Slate.com/prudieplus to sign up. It’s just $15 for your first three months. 

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.

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On this episode: Elizabeth, Zak and Jamilah advise the parent of a handsy kindergartener. The little girl comes from a cuddly family and just doesn’t have a sense of personal space… and it’s impacting her school experience as a result. How can a parent help teach the value of a bubble?

Zak found two books that might be helpful: Personal Space Camp and Personal Space Invader.

We’ll also debrief on our week in parenting with a round of triumphs and fails, and then offer some important perspective on how long kids have been killing time with screens.

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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Maura Currie, with special thanks to Rosemary Belson.

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Super Bowl LVIII is this Sunday, amid decades of controversy surrounding football’s impact on traumatic brain injuries.

But for many athletes, these long-term effects can be felt well before making it to the pros: on high school and college teams.

On Well, Now this week: Maya and Kavita talk with physical therapist and concussion specialist John Doherty about the science surrounding youth contact sports and what we know about their relationship with brain injuries down the road.

Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.

Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected] 

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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… dear colleague. 

The way universities and colleges handle sexual assault cases has changed a lot in the last 13 years. Part of that is because of the sheer vastness of the higher education system; everyone does everything differently.

But federal guidance has also shifted with each of the last three administrations… and our guest today argues that none of those systems have worked. In fact, they’ve all been unmitigated failures.

Lara Bazelon of the University of San Francisco joins us to argue that existing systems should be burned down — and replaced with restorative justice. 

If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]

Podcast production by Maura Currie.

You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.

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Pediatrician Dr. Seema Jilani’s work has taken her from Sudan to Afghanistan. Last month, she was in Gaza for two weeks, where she worked tending to the wounded in the besieged Al-Aqsa Hospital.

Guest: Dr. Seema Jilani, senior technical adviser at the International Rescue Committee

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

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Dry January has come and gone, but the conversation about alcohol—and rethinking our relationship with it—is still very much with us. This week’s listener, Natalie, wants to move past the abundance vs. abstinence debate and talk about a third option: thoughtful moderation. In this episode, Courtney Martin brings on journalist Rosamund Dean, author of Mindful Drinking: How Cutting Down Can Change Your Life and Well, Well, Well, a Substack about living better, for longer. She shares how she found moderation through mindfulness—and how you can too. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with excessive drinking, consider contacting SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. You can also find a local Alcoholics Anonymous meeting by visiting aa.org.

If you liked this episode, check out: How To Stick to Your New Year’s Resolutions

Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.

How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer and our producer is Rosemary Belson. 

Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.

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On this episode: Elizabeth Newcamp, Zak Rosen, and Jamilah Lemieux help a member of our Facebook group brainstorm ways to keep a 4th grader occupied… that don’t revolve around screentime. With busy schedules and parents working from home, it’s hard to be hands-on. But we have some ideas.

We’ll also share a round of recommendations — and then, if you’re in the Slate Plus club, we’ll dispense some highly subjective wisdom about the best times to do… well, everything. 

Recommendations: 

Elizabeth recommends: ordering a specialty meal on airplanes

Zak recommends: the Hairstreaq brush 

Jamilah recommends: Ugly Betty

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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Maura Currie, with special thanks to Rosemary Belson.

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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Anthony Davis, a Pulitzer Prize winning opera composer whose work includes the 1986 opera X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, which was recently revived and produced for the Metropolitan Opera. In the interview, Anthony discusses the inspiration for X and the many genres he drew from to compose its music. He also talks about how to craft a story using music and why it’s important to him to make political art. 

After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss creative career pivots and the act of finding inspiration from eavesdropping. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Anthony and Isaac talk about their mutual love of science fiction. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.

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