Things get rowdy at Bryn’s 4th birthday party after an oinking pig toy is repurposed as a fart machine. Beth gets emotional after receiving a letter from PreK addressed to “The Parents of Bryn McNerney.” Peter shares an article about the chores pay gap between daughters and sons. Beth and Peter decide how they would handle having a baby with a few extra fingers and then catch up on some listener mail. Oh yeah, and Maeven barfs.

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This week Peter and Beth reveal how the notorious Brown Cow Birthday Cake turned out. Peter wonders if explaining the concept of death to Bryn was a good idea. Beth shares an article about how dads are more likely to seek advice on the internet anonymously. As a result, Peter definitely does NOT get super defensive about the implications and what follows ISN’T the the most intense and genuinely emotional debate that Beth and Peter have ever had on the podcast.  I don’t care what you’ve heard.  That’s simply NOT true. I’m NOT… I mean PETER... is NOT defensive.

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While at the Newell family reunion Bryn learns to swim (his own way) and then gives Beth and Peter a taste of their own parenting medicine.  Back home Beth and Peter prepare for Bryn’s upcoming fourth birthday,  Peter has a contentious exchange with a cake designer about the existence of brown spotted cows, Beth shares a study that challenges the validity of parenting styles and a listener ‘Would You Knows?’ asks Peter and Beth to debates who gets the last two seats on an alien rescue ship.

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Bryn decides to be “sick” on the last morning that Peter and Beth have available to record before heading out on vacation.  The result... is a disaster.  In between his monkey screams, demands for milk and occasional tears Peter and Beth attempt to explore the science behind why kids love sugar, explain their love languages and discuss what they would do if Bryn returned from the future to criticize their parenting.  In the end, does Bryn ruin the episode or does he improve it?  You be the judge. 

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Beth and Peter finally get into the birth story – the good one. In early 2016 Beth and Peter find themselves in financial trouble, with a broken down minivan and 2nd baby due at any minute. Do they make it to the hospital? Does Beth’s sister’s Honda Fit come out unscathed? And what is so special about the parking lot of the local School of Rock? Answers to these questions and more.

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Peter drives the kids across the country alone and is very proud of himself. We wonder how to appropriately acknowledge and discuss race with a three-year-old. Peter shares a study about driving while distracted by children. Beth unpacks this week’s ‘Would You Knows?’ to figure out how she would handle Maeven being recruited by Yale at age 4 and we read some listener mail about deceiving your kids.

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After Peter misses the the application deadline Bryn finally gets into Pre-K. Peter shares statistics about how kids’ ability to wait has improved over the past 50 years. We play another round of “Did You Knows What He Said?”,  find out who Bryn’s favorite daddy is and read some listener mail.

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Beth has time alone. Peter doesn’t sleep. We confirm that clowns are scary, discuss what to do when your child believes they have mind powers, speculate why the birth rate is dropping and gush over how much we love our new couch and the company that made it: Joybird.  We love Joybird. Joybird did not sponsor this episode, we actually just love Joybird.

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Beth is working more. Peter jams with another Dad. Bryn’s tantrums get physical. We discuss the story of 13-year-old frozen embryo and play a game of “You Knows What He Said?”

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Beth accidentally locks Maeven in the apartment. Peter goes on a playdate. We discuss a study of kid’s reactions to breaking their toys, play a game of real or fake Bryn quotes, and hypothesize what to do with a leaky diaper on a rush hour train. 

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