Best of Both Worlds Podcast

In today's episode, Laura and Sarah take on a concept Laura heard about recently known as "easy child privilege" -- the phenomenon where parents might experience an unearned advantage with kids who are naturally compliant, neurotypical, healthy, or easy to sooth, and then attribute these features to superior parenting. They discuss how this might apply in various realms from eating to sleep to aca...

In today's episode, Laura and Sarah discuss their own current situations with respect to parental health and independence, and then board-certified geriatrician Dr. Anita Chandra joins Sarah to discuss the challenges of living in the 'sandwich generation' -- a scenario where you have both older and younger relatives or relations that require help or caregiving. An important topic that impacts so m...

In today's episode, Sarah and Laura (hanging out together in Philadelphia) share some life updates and then focus on the positive with a list of current favorites. Some are fall themed, and some are just of the moment! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First a disclaimer: everyone's idea of frugality is relative! And many people have real struggles making ends meet from day to day. This episode unfortunately doesn't solve this issue, but instead provides interesting perspective on ways one might choose to spend strategically, saving money without any real sacrifice on your part. Ideas include grocery store shopping vs restaurants, the joy of che...

In today's episode, Laura and Sarah chat about all things meal planning! They open with takes on recent food trends (protein + fiber, anyone?) and then move to a detailed discussion of their current meal planning practices, struggles, and victories. They cover shopping, non-dinner meals, school lunches and more. In the Q&A, a listener asks for tips getting tiny humans (think toddlers and below...

In today's episode, Sarah and Laura share their thoughts on whether they'd ever be up for long-haul travel with kids, and share memories of longer trips in the past. Then, Elisabeth Frost joins Sarah to provide her fascinating perspective on a months-long European adventure she recently completed with her 2 school-aged children, including an entire semester out of 'regular' school and visiting ove...

Is it possible that there have been NINE previous back to school episodes? 2017's version may have featured preschoolers (and multiple children not yet born!) -- back to school has definitely been a journey, and the adventure looks different every time! This year, Laura and Sarah have kids ranging from 1st grade to college sophomore. They share notes on re-entry, from anticipated morning schedules...

In the intro, Laura and Sarah open with a discussion of resilience. Then, psychotherapist and resilience expert Amy Morin joins Laura to share all about the top things (13 in her book!) that mentally strong people DON'T do. In the Q&A, a listener asks for ideas to support a friend going through an especially tough time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode, Laura and Sarah chat about their own feelings around Mom Guilt (should it even . . . BE a thing?) and then Sarah interviews psychologist Dr. Jennifer Reid on the topic. Dr. Reid is a clinical psychologist with expertise in the areas of guilt and shame, and her book, Guilt Free: Reclaiming Your Life from Unreasonable Expectations, is out now. In the Q&A, a listener wonders e...

In today's episode, Sarah and Laura chat all things decluttering! Sarah has made home decluttering a goal for many years running, and has learned a lot from a slew of different methods but has struggled to implement these techniques in her home. This year, though, she added some support. She shares her progress and Laura discusses her own prior adventures in organization. They also discuss the mer...

In today's episode, Laura and Sarah open with a discussion of 15 minute meals, and then Laura interviews Jordyn Koveleski Gorman, a speech language pathologist and founder of Eat Play Say, a resource for parents of babies and toddlers and a treasure trove of practical advice for working mothers. In the Q&A, a listener asks for details on Laura and Sarah's skincare routines. See omnystudio.com/...

Kelly Nolan is a time management expert known for her Bright Method of calendar and life management. Sarah and Laura talk about their own current tactics, and then Kelly joins Sarah to chat all about her methods. Find out more from Kelly at kellynolan.com or @_kellynolan_ on IG See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's episode is a two topic combo! First up is a discussion of getting out the door, followed by the host's thoughts on getting the most out of time in the car (both spend plenty of time driving!). Then, they discuss hosting, and hope to empower listeners to just Host the Thing, from a causal book club hang to a big dinner fete. In the Q&A, a listener asks thoughts on rewarding kids for goo...

It's the traditional mid-year review! Sarah and Laura revisit their 2026 goals, and share progress as well as any revisions, since both believe it's certainly okay to leave a goal behind if it's a purposeful choice! Categories included personal (hobbies + beyond), relationships, work, family/home, and fun. In the Q&A a listener wonders whether Laura and Sarah listen to their own episodes! See...

Today's episode opens with Sarah and Laura discussing frozen treats (yum!) and then Sarah interviews Sarah Jedd about all things academic summer. Sarah Jedd is a rhetoric professor with 5 kids (ages 5-college!) who also has an old-school blog called harrytimes.com. In the Q&A, a listener wonders how to get the family to agree on a movie. (Or not!) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

In today's episode, Laura and Sarah open with a discussion of Father's Day, including past memories and current plans. Then, they delve into summer reading, from juicy new releases to non-fiction on trilobites. Book Sarah mentions: The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh In the Q&A, a listener writes in asking for tips on helping kids manage summer work - how to prevent overwhelm withou...

In today's episode, Laura and Sarah share some of their favorite tactics for productivity, from avoiding distractions to strategic multitasking. Then, they discuss their current use cases for AI. Was this episode, in fact, AI-drafted or generated? (NO!) In the Q&A, a listener writes in asking for tips for implementing TOAD time - Laura's acronym for Time Outside After Dinner! How do you beat t...

In today’s episode, Sarah and Laura open by discussing where they think they are in the reproductive phases, and then Sarah interviews Dr. Gillian Goddard, endocrinologist and author of The Hormone Loop — about all things perimenopause in addition to other hormonal issues!   Finally, the hosts answer a listener question about music lesson practice. See omnystudio.com/listener for...

It's the annual Summer Planning episode! Sarah and Laura open with a decluttering discussion/progress report, and then discuss all things related to the upcoming season, from summer fun lists, to kid-related plans to summer pain points and travel and beyond. In the Q&A, a listener writes in with advice on putting in a pool! Do Sarah and Laura think it will be worth it? See omnystudio.com/liste...

In today's episode, Laura and Sarah share their progress with date nights this year. Sarah wanted to go more regularly, and Laura had some fun adventurous ideas. Then, both hosts share 5 of their favorite Obscure Facts! Sarah's skew towards health and human biology, whereas Laura may have snuck in some Paleolithic trivia plus some facts that center around time! Finally, a listener writes in asking...

Laura and Sarah open with a discussion of their own movement patterns - do they track steps? Then author and NPR podcast host Manoush Zomorodi joins Sarah for a fascinating discussion of how incorporating small movement breaks into the day can have an outsized impact on health and well-being. Her new book is called Body Electric (she’s Laura’s book twin, with the same release date) and...

Laura and Sarah open today's show with some updates on how they have spent their time lately (lots of travel!) and then Sarah interviews Laura all about her new book, Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance, out TODAY! They chat hot topics from the book, from golden hours to "dreaming big and planning small". And THEN Sarah gives Laura a pop quiz: can she match quotes from her books to the right...

In today's intro, Laura discussed how she's been fascinated for a long time by families who manage to have both parents work full time while also managing homeschool. Then, Anandi Raman Creath joins her to chat about how she did just that when her kids were in the elementary years (even before COVID made it a more common thing!). In the Q&A, a listener wonders how to handle it when one child n...

Sometimes we tell ourselves stories about our time that are not backed by actual data. In today's episode, Laura delves into several of these, with some interesting ways to combat common time-centered myths -- from the idea that working parents never see their children to current rates of sleep deprivation. In the Q&A, a listener who has just hired a nanny wonders whether to transition out of...

In today's episode, Sarah and Laura discuss going out to eat -- in multiple contexts! They discuss their favorite most memorable restaurant meals, and some of the most memorable for opposite reasons (think: kid tantrums under the table within minutes of sitting down). They provide tips and ideas for enjoying family meals with more selective eaters, and insight into the exact age when eating out wi...