Life Kit: Parenting

Having a baby is one of the biggest - and most expensive - life changes a person can experience. Here's what you need to know about financially planning for a baby, according to Farnoosh Torabi, Editor at Large CNET Money. Find out if there is a magic number that tells you you're ready, what to think about ahead of time and learn what can probably wait. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about ou...

Talking about abortion can be complicated, even with adults. How do you talk about the medical procedure and the politics around it with kids? NPR's Ailsa Chang gets tips from Dr. Elise Berlan and parenting expert Reena Patel. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Talking to kids about civics is kind of like talking to kids about sex - avoiding the conversation can have some really negative consequences. Here's how to talk to kids about civic participation, from discussing our hard history to taking action. This episode originally aired in November 2022. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to...

The news can be devastating, and tragic events can be incomprehensible for adults — so how do we talk about them with kids? Child development experts offer advice on what parents, teachers and other caregivers can say to help kids process all the scary news out there. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponso...

Raising kids is among the most essential work humans do, and yet it's rarely valued as labor. Angela Garbes, author of Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change, guides us through a shift in mindset to help give mothering the value it deserves. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR...

Calling all working parents and caregivers! We see you, and we know you don't have much time. Career coach Daisy Dowling shares time management tips to help working parents find sanity and joy. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Amid the omicron surge, there is understandable anxiety among parents, particularly those with kids under 5. In this episode, infectious disease doctor Ibukun Kalu answers listeners' questions on the latest COVID variant, daycare and travel for unvaccinated children. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsor...

Most students who want to transfer colleges, don't. The process can be complicated and confusing and differ from state to state and institution to institution. Despite these hurdles, transferring is a common route to college. So how do you make the process go as smoothly as possible? Start early, stay organized, and find a good fit. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use...

Getting enough sleep helps you focus, retain information and helps to fortify your immune system. But when it comes to children, they aren't always thinking about these benefits. For parents and caretakers struggling to get their little ones to bed on time, here are tips on establishing healthy sleeping habits — that can benefit your entire family. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our col...

For expectant parents, navigating pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum can raise a range of emotions. There are so many things to think about and prepare for, and knowing where to start can feel daunting. But a birth plan can help! In this episode, Martina Abrahams Ilunga and Gabrielle Horton of NATAL, offer guidance on creating a birth plan that works for you, and makes it simple for your support...

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid opens to potential college students to fill out on Oct. 1 for the 2022-2023 school year. Here's how to fill out the form to get money for college — and why you should apply now instead of waiting. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Priv...

Research shows that suicide is preventable. And while surveys have shown that Americans know this, they might not know how to help someone who may be at risk. It's National Suicide Prevention Month, and we're looking at ways you can help if you know someone who is struggling. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcas...

Reading at school is one thing, but reading at home is important too. Though with busy schedules filled with after school activities, homework and lots of tech at kids' fingertips, it's not always easy to convince kids that reading isn't a chore. In this episode, Diana Opong helps us discover that there is so much joy — and value — to be found in reading aloud as a family. See pcm.adswizz.com for...

Whether you know it or not, you know somebody who is autistic. So if you think autism doesn't affect you, you're wrong, says Eric Garcia. In this episode, Garcia, author of We're Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation, talks about myths surrounding autism, how to talk about it and how to help your autistic loved one live their most fulfilling life. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about o...

Returning to in-person schooling is both a relief — and a source of great anxiety — for a lot of parents this year. The pandemic is still happening. The Delta variant is surging. And millions of children are too young to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The news changes fast — updates on vaccine trials and breakthrough infections seem to roll in every day — but there's still a lot the whole family can do t...

Becoming a parent is challenging and the same is true for those becoming stepparents. In this episode, we talk to experts — some of whom are stepparents themselves — about how you can navigate the process. They share their do's: let the biological parent deal with discipline — and their don'ts: don't say anything to the child that you wouldn't want them to repeat to the other parent. See pcm.adswi...

If you've noticed that your kid put on some weight during the pandemic and you're not sure what — if anything — to do about it, you're not alone. Weight is an incredibly fraught topic — and an imperfect indicator of health. As parents, a kid's sudden weight gain can be hard to know how to tackle — the last thing we'd want is to do anything that might create poor body image for our children or set...

Having elementary-aged kids at home can mean a maze of tough decisions about how to run your family and what's right for your small children. Economist Emily Oster offers ways to streamline decision-making with strategies — and data — that work in the business world. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsor...

Becoming a mother is a huge, complicated life transition that can rock every fiber of a person's being. The process even has its own name: matrescence. That postpartum feeling of being on an emotional rollercoaster, not recognizing your body in the mirror, thinking that you've lost yourself — it's all part of the process. Yet, not a lot of people talk about it, leading many new moms to think that...

Money can feel like a taboo topic in a lot of households, but talking about it regularly can take the awkwardness out of it. Kids see and do everything that we do, and that's true when it comes to money, says financial expert Jen Hemphill. In this episode, Hemphill shares her top tips for financial literacy for kids and families, including how to start those conversations and creating a healthy mo...

Even the most amicable split is world-changing for young children. Here are a few key tips for grown-ups trying to help their kids navigate this big transition. (This episode originally published April 26, 2019.) See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Picking a name for a baby can be overwhelming. With all the possibilities out in the world, it can be hard to even begin to choose. On this episode of Life Kit, host Diana Opong speaks with baby naming experts for a framework that can help. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Priva...

Despite how common pregnancy loss is, families often suffer in silence. In honor of Black Maternal Health Week, Life Kit teamed up with the hosts of the podcast docuseries NATAL to share stories from parents who have experienced loss, and expert advice about how to support loved ones through grief. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship an...

Author Sonora Jha shares insights from her memoir, How To Raise A Feminist Son, which includes practical to-do lists about how to handle some of the hardest conversations with sons. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Raising kids who pitch in around your home doesn't require bribes or a chore chart. Kids want to help – and parents can nurture that desire by including them in age-appropriate ways. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy