Hands Off Parents

This week Steph and Abby discuss how to be more empathetic as both parents and human beings. How does one raise an empathetic child when the world is filled with horrible people? Can we just stop criticizing each other all the time? Paradoxically, why do we hate on each other but desire approval, too? They also discuss the implications of cyber-bullying, and how to combat this sort of bad behavior in their children. A listener suggests that internet-trolling is mostly fear-based (we love hearing from listeners!). The ladies agree. This sounds really serious but don't worry: They also talk about their evil jerk children. Oh, they are evil, evil children. "Let's stop finding a new witch of the week and stop burning them at the stake. We're all horrible and wonderful and figuring it out." - Harris Wittels GIVE US YOUR APPROVAL: LIKE US ON ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA!

This week, a very tired and loopy Steph and Abby try to tackle body image (somewhat unsuccessfully.) Should parents care about their own body image? How do we talk about body image to our children? Is it okay to just love our bodies as they are? We really want to be healthy, but we are also very lazy. We also talk about where all of this body image stuff comes from - and naturally we wind up back at the internet. The internet! Steph and Abby decide the root of all evil is the body shaming on social media, but it's also the shaming of body shamers and their shamers are terrible too, BTW. Ultimately, they decide it's the fault of open letters. The ladies encourage you to write them an open letter and tell them to stop complaining at handsoffparents@gmail.com.

Father’s Day is upon us! In honor of dads, we talk this week to Jon Harvey about his life as a SAHD (Stay At Home Dad). Jon explains why his family made this decision and how it all works for them. Then, the conversation takes an unexpected turn into a candid discussion about raising a child with autism and how to navigate the world through that lens. Steph adds some stuff about her daughter's hearing loss, and she and Jon compare notes on raising a kid with additional needs. It's a good one!

On this week’s episode, Steph chats with a special guest star (her husband) about the family vacation they are currently on. What are the highs and lows of traveling with kids? Is any of this worth it? Will we ever do it again? Do we still love each other and our child? Find out all of this along with great places to eat near the Grand Canyon on this week's special, on-location episode of Hands Off Parents.

Today’s episode kicks off summer break with a Skype convo between Abby and Steph. Abby is currently away from her children for TWO WEEKS! More importantly, she’s away from Steph for two weeks, which is the real tragedy here. Abby describes the highs and lows, ups and downs of life without kids. She misses them terribly but also enjoys being able to park a car and run into a corner store for gum. It’s the little things. But, mostly, there’s guilt - lots of guilt. Steph spends much of the call distracted by Iris and wishing she was able to switch places with Abby. Enjoy!

On today’s episode, special guest Nancy Wozny schools Steph and Abby on how to someday launch our kids into adulthood. She describes how your relationship changes and your family evolves as your kids grow up and gives expert advice about why parents shouldn’t be friends with their kids and how we all need to back off during “threshold times.” She also extols the virtues of finding your mom tribe and debunks the myth of “doing it all.” At the end of the day, if everyone has a pulse, there’s food in the fridge, marginally good wine on the counter, and love between you, it’s all gonna be okay. Phew!

This week Steph and Abby continue to learn about the ins and outs of public education from guest Tamarie Cooper. Can your parenting style ever match the school you send your kids to? And what the hell is up with all the testing going on these days? Are we all just forced to deal or perhaps you can be a rebel and fight the system? After the break, Abby chats with professor and anti-STAAR test advocate Sam Brower, whose daughter opted out of taking standardized tests this year. He talks about why his family made this choice and how your kid can, too. For the highlight reel, Iris pees on the floor.

In this episode, we talk potty-training: pooping, peeing, potty products, readiness, accidents, methods, nap time, night time, fears, triumphs, fails, frustrations, boys vs. girls, etc. IT’S ALL HERE, GUYS. Then, the potty talk leads to real talk. Steph seriously injured herself in the potty-training process, steroids are the magic beans of the prescription world, and all of this has made her realize it’s time to make self-care a priority like Abby does. Basically, everyone in the world should be like Abby. And, then we talk about Lena Dunham.

In this week’s episode, Abby and Steph are schooled by Houston celebrity Tamarie Cooper who recently survived the complicated process of getting her kid into Kindergarten. Tamarie answers all of our burning school-related questions. Like, how do you get your kid into a “good" school? What makes a school “good”? Will our zoned school suffice? What’s a magnet school? What’s a vanguard school? What’s a lottery? Do we need to get a tutor from Dubai for our two-year-olds? Does any of this really matter? If our kids don't get into the school of Mommy's dreams, will they wind up broke and living in a dumpster? Find out all this and more on today’s episode. While the examples provided are mostly Houston-centric, we believe this stuff is happening everywhere and is relevant to any parent. Time to get schooled!

In this week's episode, Steph and Abby talk about the horrors of what happens when the lights go out - your kids not sleeping. How do parents deal with sleep challenges? Should we let our kids cry it out? Attend to their every whimper? Get a yoga mat and sleep on the floor next to their cribs? Should you just take an Ambien, go meet the Ambien Walrus and sleep through the cries? Steph and Abby discuss all of this and how you make mimosas from Orange Fanta. Zzzzzz

In this week's episode, Steph and Abby get (sorta) serious about guns - in the grocery store, in the classroom and on college campuses. Is there really more danger now than there was when we roamed free as kids or does online hysteria perpetuate anxiety? How far we should go to protect our kids from things like razor blades in delicious Halloween candy? What are the true facts behind mass shootings and gun violence? We actually search for real statistics. We find very little. We will likely never try that again. On a more serious note, please go to iTunes and rate our show! But only if you like it.

Today, on the show, we discuss the ever so popular dinner party topic: RELIGION. Steph’s family is dipping their toes in Judaism, while Abby wonders if her family is blowing it by raising her kids atheist. A ton of questions come up this week. Can you set your own family rituals or do you need the umbrella of religion? Can you join a religion with your family in adulthood if you weren't raised that way? What's the point of religion in child rearing anyway? Tradition? Community? Morality? Can TV be a religion? What TV shows teach morality to kids? Are we being offensive? We don’t mean to be. We really do accept whatever it is that you believe (or don’t believe.) Bottom line, we want our kids to be good people. So, is religion a necessary means to that end?

In this week's episode Steph and Abby's husband's join the podcast to explore some of marriage and parenting's deepest, darkest questions: How do you rediscover your marriage post kids? Can you blame your children for making you just want to watch TV at night instead of having deep, philosophical conversations? Are married couples still happy and should they love their spouses more than their children? Or is it just a different type of love? What do dads worry about? Do dads have feelings even? Finally, Steph, Abby, Mike and Rob get to the heart of marriage, which just might be: Now that we have kids, do we love our spouses only 80% of the time? And if so, is that OK?

In this week’s episode, we talk to YA author, Jennifer Mathieu, about her family's conscious decision to only have one child. Stephanie is on the fence, so Jennifer debunks many popular one-child myths and we pro/con the one-child choice. We also talk candidly about the dark days of early motherhood and the transition back to yourself. Jennifer explains how motherhood actually made her more productive and gives us tips on how to be a super human who is able to write four novels, hold down a full-time job, and raise a bad-ass 5 year old at the same time. We love her. Enjoy! P.S. If you guys love us, please follow us on Twitter. We have 14 followers. It’s pathetic.

In today’s episode, we candidly discuss all things infertility related (shame, sadness, self-loathing, desperation, price tag, twins, causes, etc.), suddenly becoming “geriatric” and “high risk" at age 35, and the fear of having another baby after having a difficult time the first go round.

On this week’s episode, Steph and Abby are blessed to have pro-parent Ty Mahany on the show to discuss gender norms, giving kids choices (and beer), nature vs. nurture, and the inevitability of becoming our parents. Warning: our kids are particularly loud and annoying this week. If you take a shot every time you hear a toddler scream “NO” in the background, you will be druuuunk. Also, guys, go to iTunes and review us if you like the show. If you don’t, um, don’t.

In this episode, we discuss SO MANY THINGS including the pros and cons of sending your kid to school sick (1:00), daycare correspondence (5:45), the endless sick loop (7:30), wanting to quit life (13:00) how to parent through grief/sadness/depression/etc. (15:00) and freezing your kids poop (25:00).

In this week's episode, Steph and Abby discuss sharing (:40), tantrums (7:48), pediatricians (16:30), and the ethics of talking s**t about our kids in public (17:45). New theme song courtesy of Kevin Schneider (twitter.com/kmschneid), who composed it at a stoplight. Talent!

In our inaugural episode, we talk about parenting styles (1:50), television consumption (9:00), the drama of dinner (13:00), and crafts (27:50).