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9 Podcasts Worth Listening to Now

April 16, 2015 by Kelley Leave a Comment

In the #sorrynotsorry category of parenting, I admit that I listen to podcasts around the house all the time. When I discovered about two years ago that there was a way to stimulate my brain and funny bone while also slogging away on household minutia—and that it didn’t involve a screen, which causes my kids to drop everything stare, even if it were BBC—it was a revelation. I can deal with stuff at my desk, clean the kitchen, fold laundry, and even—ok, #justalittlesorry—play hide-and-seek—all while learning, from real, intelligent adults, about Isis, genomic testing, a great new slow cooker recipe, or really solid parenting advice. If my kids are otherwise engaged, they don’t seem to notice or really care, and I swear, if I really need to pay attention to what’s going on, I put just one earbud in. (Kidding! I really do have limits.) But seriously, I consider podcast listening to be multitasking for the mind and soul. It’s also a great distraction during a run.

I’m listing my faves, here. Some are podcasts designed to inspire a listener to become a better parent; others indirectly inspire me to be a better parent because they give me more things to think about than what’s going on in my little house, in my little neighborhood, in my little town. They are all FREE, and easy to subscribe to or cherry pick interesting-looking episodes from, using the iTunes or Stitcher apps. Happy listening!

Mom and Dad are Fighting. Slate editors Allison Benedikt and Dan Kois are smart, dry, and hilariously honest about parenting life in our crazy-busy times. A highlight is their regular”Parenting Triumphs and Fails” segment.
Take a listen: Is My Kid a Narcissist?

Zen Parenting Radio. Though based outside of Chicago, ZPR is going to appeal to anyone who’d like to be more calm and balanced as a parent (or person). And Cathy and Todd Adams, who are married with three girls, are just about the nicest two people you’d ever hope to listen to on the radio. They’re also pop-culture junkies and have a funny, familiar rapport—you kind of feel like you’re sitting across from couple-friends at dinner while listening to them (is that a little stalker-ish?)
Take a listen: Actions Express Priorities

The Longest Shortest Time. What’s genius about this sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking podcast, which draws heavily from early parenthood experiences, is how host Hillary Frank often focuses on a single person’s (often very moving) story to illustrate a larger point about family life. And it’s fearless: One recent episode brought in sex columnist Dan Savage to talk about sex after parenthood, and it was no-holds-barred.
Take a listen: When Are You Gonna Be Normal Again?

Radiolab. Hosts Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich are clearly endlessly curious and deeply intelligent guys who use episodes to explore a single, usually deeply puzzling phenomenon in the realm of science, art, history, law, or human nature. Some are appropriate for curious older kids (like the brilliant “Colors.“)
Take a listen: 23 Weeks, 6 Days

America’s Test Kitchen. This is more than a cooking show: Cook’s Illustrated founder Christopher Kimball, test kitchen guru Bridget Lancaster and the rest of their team do talk about cooking tips, kitchen gadgets and wine pairings, but also the history and culture of food.
Take a listen: The New Theory of Evolution: Cooking Made us Human!

Freakonomics Radio. Economist Steven Levitt and writer Stephen Dubner have used their bestselling 2005 book as a launchpad for this quirky, fascinating podcast in which they explore cultural phenomena through data and economic theory. It’s far from wonky—you’ll feel like you’ve just sat in the world’s most entertaining Econ lecture after every episode.
Take a listen: Is College Really Worth It?

This American Life. This hugely popular program has about a million listeners downloading it each week, and if you’re new to podcasts, this is a good place to start. Each week, Ira Glass and his crew share real-life stories around certain themes related to culture, psychology, politics, or just family life.
Take a listen: Switched at Birth

Serial. This American Life spinoff and now most-listened to podcast in the history of the genre will be back with a second season at some as-yet-to-be-announced date later the year, and for any of us who hung on host Sarah Koenig’s every word about the fascinating murder trial of teenager Adnan Syed in season 1, that time can’t come soon enough. The idea is that Koenig digs into the intricacies and unexplored mysteries of one true story over the course of entire season. Haven’t listened yet? You can listen to the entirety of Season 1 now—I challenge you to not binge-listen.
Take a listen: Season 1, Episode 1: The Alibi

Fresh Air. With her naturalness and curiosity and even sometimes-awkwardness, Terry Gross is the best interviewer in the business. For each one-hour show she gets a celebrity or writer or thinker to talk about his or her life and work, in depth.
Take a listen: Conversation with Maurice Sendak

Best TV for Big Kids

October 7, 2014 by Kelley 1 Comment

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that kids under 2 shouldn’t watch TV. That’s a shame: Not because I think toddlers would do better with more screen time, but because some of the most inventive television in the past decade has been designed for children their age, or just a little older. There are shows that encourage cognitive thinking skills (such as Blue’s Clues), shows that help kids recognize and handle feelings (like Ni Hao Kai-Lan), and just plain brilliant shows, including one with an original opera score (Wonder Pets). Flip through PBS’s Sprout or Nick Jr. if you haven’t lately, and you’ll see what I mean; each show is more creative, enriching, and, to borrow a phrase from The New Yorker TV critic and mom Emily Nussbaum, more gem-like than the next.

Photo credit: lmcsike via Shutterstock

But what happens when children outgrow talking animals and Kewpie-doll-eyed protagonists? They—and we—are faced with two major categories: battle-centric cartoons or sassy, snarky sitcoms. I’m not sure which is worse. While the animated action is largely bloodless, it’s still unabashedly violent, which is why I welcomed it when my 8-year-old asked if he could tune into Jessie rather than Ninjago one night a few weeks ago. Big mistake. After a couple of episodes, the know-it-all-‘tween banter had obviously struck a chord, and soon he was trying phrases like “that is soo depressing” on for size.

I took my dilemma to Sierra Filucci, executive editor of parenting content for Common Sense Media, a website devoted to reviewing and recommending screen choices for children. Turns out I’m not alone in thinking most big-kid TV stinks. “It is really hard to find quality, age-appropriate TV for older children,” she says. “This isn’t necessarily a new thing, but it can be very frustrating for parents who aren’t happy with what Disney and Nickelodeon have to offer this age group. Lots of ‘tween-targeted TV is funny to kids, but relies on stereotypes or sassy behavior that parents don’t always appreciate.” In other words, ‘tweens and pre-‘tweens are at an envelope-pushing stage in which fighting sequences and put-downs are appealing, edgy even. But left to their own devices, kids might also choose to wear flip-flops in February and eat candy for breakfast. It’s our job to guide them to better choices (as high-maintenance and helicopter-ish as that may sound).

The good news, says Filucci, TV shows that satisfy older kids and parents both exist: “You just have to look harder and rely on a variety of tools to find the good stuff.” That means it’s time to think outside the cable box. This may be hard for us, the last generation of parents who deign to channel surf. But our kids could be getting much more out of their TV experience for it. Here are some of Filucci’s top tips finding great programs, and her current picks for ages 5 and up.

1. Consider subscriptions to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. “They offer some of the best and most original kids programs out there,” Filucci says. If you don’t have a streaming TV, you can view shows from these sites on a computer, tablet or smart phone.

2. Mine PBS, CBS and cable channels for quality reality shows. Many reality shows are appropriate for older kids, and are a great opportunity for parents and children to enjoy TV together. “I watch lots of cooking and animal shows with my kids—from Food Network, Cooking Channel, HGTV, and Animal Planet,” Filucci says.

3. Spring for DVR. The DVR (a digital video recording device, available via your cable or satellite service, TV or computer operating system) is a great tool for parents because you can essentially set up a lineup of shows for your children to choose from. It can also allow you to record more obscure stuff and watch it when you want it, and skip over the commercials—which can be a worse influence on our kids than many of the programs themselves.

Great Shows for Big Kids

Show	Network/Streaming Service	What It's About	Best for Ages..
Annedroids	Amazon	Follows misadventures of kid-genius scientist Anne and her amazingly real-life android creations.	5 and up
Haunted Hathaways	Nickelodeon	A single mom and her kids move into a house "haunted" by friendly and funny ghosts.	5 and up
Design Squad Nation	PBS	Kids perform games and experiments that explore STEM principles.	6 and up
Curiosity Quest	PBS	Host Joel Green travels the globe to answer kid-friendly conundrums (who started karate?)	6 and up
SciGirls	PBS	Real 'tween girls tackle technology and engineering activities.	6 and up
All in with Laila Ali	CBS	Ali follows real people who've overcome obstacles to do amazing things.	6 and up
How It's Made	Science	Shows how real-life objects (hockey skates, sparklers) are made.	7 and up
H2O: Just Add Water	Hulu/Amazon (spinoff Mako Mermaids is on Netflix)	Three girls hide the fact they're mermaids while coping with everyday teen challenges.	7 and up
Brain Games	National Geographic	Kids learn the science of the brain through interactive games and optical illusions.	8 and up
Amazing Race	CBS	Reality show of two teams racing each other across the world explores teamwork and problem solving.	10 and up
Doctor Who	BBC America	Classic sci-fi series portrays a human-like alien who resolves to protect the galaxy from evil.	10 and up

Guilt Buster: A Little Video Games OK

August 12, 2014 by Kelley Leave a Comment

Now here’s a head scratcher: A little time playing video games actually may be better for kids than not playing video games at all, according to Oxford University researchers. In a study of nearly 5,000 British children between ages 10 and 15, those who played for up to an hour a day were happier, more sociable, and less hyperactive than peers who played more than that (no surprise) or not at all (what?!)

To be sure, parents who allow kids to dabble in video games —some 95 percent of us, it seems—aren’t likely doing so out of any character-building or behavior-modifying aspirations. We allow a little video game time because it seems, well, fun. But the study authors suggest that this is precisely the point. “Games provide a wide range of novel cognitive challenges, opportunities for exploration, relaxation and socialization with peers,” researchers write. “Like non-digitally mediated forms of child play, games may encourage child well-being and healthy social adjustment.”

Photo by: sean dreilinger via photopin cc

In other words, when played in moderation, these games give our kids license to chill out and bond with their friends, which aren’t bad things. Just take care to make smart choices when buying or downloading. While the study didn’t address the type of video games that were being played, experts warn against exposing kids games that contain rated R content, especially violence. (Common Sense Media is a great website that rates many video games and provides suggested age ranges.) Parental controls on the TV and computer are no-brainers, too. And don’t forget: Put a timer on playtime. (Literally. I’ve found a simple kitchen timer by the computer works wonders.) A little bit may be better than none at all, but too much gaming isn’t good for anyone—especially kids.