Parenting, apparently

Have you ever felt like the thing you really want for Mother’s Day is not flowers or macaroni art but… a break from your parental duties? Melissa Cash and Esther Huybreghts are back for a new season of “Parenting, apparently” (FKA “We’re Doing Great). This new name embodies the kinds of honest conversations they feel we could all use more of—like acknowledging the complicated feelings around Mothe...

What happens when you stop directing your child's play and simply let them lead? In this episode, Esther sits down solo with multidisciplinary artist and mom Mills Brown to explore the deep, sometimes surprising, places where play, creativity, and parenthood overlap. You'll hear about Mills's sensory play sessions for children as young as six months at Modern Art Oxford, her upcoming solo exhibiti...

How much of your parenting anxiety is influenced by what you read and see online? Melissa Cash and Esther Huybreghts sit down with Vanessa Grant to explore how parenting has become something you do in public. They unpack the pressure created by media, social platforms, and endless advice, and how it affects the way you show up for your child. You will walk away with permission to tune out the nois...

Are you carrying invisible responsibilities that no one else even realizes exist? If your brain feels like it has forty tabs open at once, this episode will feel painfully familiar in the best possible way. Melissa and Esther have an honest, funny, and thoughtful conversation about the invisible labor of parenting, the resentment that can build around it, and the ways parents sometimes add pressur...

Can you love your kids deeply and still wonder what life without them would have looked like? This episode is an honest, funny, and unexpectedly deep conversation about what motherhood asks of you and what it gives back. You will hear Melissa and Esther talk through the daily chaos of raising young kids, the tension between work and family, and the quiet questions many parents carry but rarely say...

Are you parenting with confidence, or parenting with commentary from the entire internet in your head? What happens when you put a 90-year-old great-grandmother, a 60-something mom, and a toddler-raising millennial at the same table and ask them what “being a good parent” actually means? You will hear what motherhood felt like between the 1950s and the 1990s, before Google, before gentle parenting...

Could the limits we place on neurodiverse kids, like screen time or alternative learning, actually be the very tools helping neurodiverse children thrive? When it comes to autism awareness advocacy, there is a growing need for understanding, support, and inclusive practices in our society. As more individuals are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is crucial that we take the necessa...

How can connection lead to more cooperation from your toddlers? Toddlerhood can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be a constant battle. In this episode, you’ll learn how play, connection, and mindset shifts can transform everyday challenges into opportunities for growth. Devon Kuntzman joins Melissa and Esther and shares practical tools to help you navigate tantrums, transitions, and big e...

As parents, how can you tell if screen time is *actually* harmful for your child’s brain? And how can you even parent properly without a neuroscience degree?! Some days it feels impossible. You’re not the only one wondering how much screen time is too much for your kids, or feeling shame for handing them a tablet while you make dinner—it’s something we’re all thinking about. In this episode, neuro...

Is the "barometer" you use to measure a successful night of sleep actually just a social construct that is making you more stressed? Sleep can feel overwhelming and deeply personal, especially when everyone seems to have an opinion about what you should be doing. In this episode, Melissa and Esther talk with Rachael Shepard-Ohta about why night wakings are normal, why crying isn’t automatically a...

When deciding upon how to feed your baby, how can you trust your instincts when advice feels overwhelming? Feeding a baby often becomes one of the most emotionally charged parts of early parenthood, especially when expectations collide with reality. In this episode with guest Mallory Whitmore, you’ll hear an honest, validating conversation about why formula feeding isn’t a failure, but one of many...

When parenting doesn’t go as expected, how do you move forward? Parenting rarely goes according to plan, and this episode will remind you that unexpected turns don’t mean you’re doing it wrong. Beth Leipholtz shares how raising her son Coop reshaped her understanding of inclusion, communication, and letting go of control. You’ll walk away with reassurance, perspective, and practical insight for pa...

What is actually happening in your child’s brain during a meltdown? And, what can you do during a meltdown when nothing seems to help? When your child is melting down, it can feel personal, urgent, and overwhelming. In this episode, Laura Petix helps you reframe behavior as a nervous system response and shows how sensory strategies can support emotional regulation. Laura Petix is a pediatric occup...

You’re navigating parenting in a world where screens are unavoidable, and this episode will help you release the guilt that often comes with that reality. In this episode, Melissa, Esther, and their guest, Ash Brandin, explore why leisure and downtime are essential for both you and your children, and how to model a healthy relationship with technology. Today’s guest is Ash Brandin. They are an edu...

Which hygiene routines actually matter for preventing illness in your home? In this episode, Melissa and Esther chat with beloved pediatrician Dr. Mona about what parents really need to know about kids getting sick. This conversation explores practical, pediatrician-approved strategies for hygiene, symptom monitoring, and knowing exactly when to seek extra help. Dr. Mona Amin is a board-certified...

How can you tell if your child’s struggles are normal or a sign of ADHD? And, how do you decide whether to pursue a formal ADHD diagnosis? In this episode, hosts Melissa Cash and Esther Huybreghts talk with psychologist Dr. Carrie Jackson to unpack the truth about ADHD in children. Together they explore early signs, gender differences, and how parents can support their kids without shame or stigma...

What changes when you stop performing “good parenting” for others and focus on what works for your family? In this episode, Melissa and Esther talk with prolific content creator Shawna Lander about the messy, funny, and deeply human realities of becoming a mom. Get ready to unpack how becoming a mother transformed Shawna’s identity and career, leading her to write hilarious and honest skits about...

As a parent, how can you build real in-person connections when you feel overwhelmed or isolated?  In this episode, you’ll dive into why raising kids today often feels so lonely—and what you as a parent can actually do to change that. Peanut CEO Michelle Kennedy joins Melissa and Esther to open up about the realities of modern parenthood and gives practical, compassionate steps for finding rea...

What is Melissa and Esther’s mission behind creating a podcast that focuses on imperfect parenting?  In this first episode, you’ll meet Melissa and Esther as they share why they created a parenting podcast that lifts you up instead of overwhelming you. You’ll hear candid stories, real-life chaos, and a lot of laughter as they set the tone for honest, judgment-free parenting conversations. Wri...

Welcome to We’re Doing Great, a podcast for imperfect parents. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to make sure you never miss an episode. Write in to us at hello@parentingapparently.com Subscribe and follow Parenting, Apparently , a podcast by Melissa Cash, Esther Huybreghts, and the Pok Pok team: YouTube Pok Pok YouTube Instagram Pok Pok helps raise the next generation of cre...