Childproof

Making friends as a kid seemed hard when Gwenna and Tori were kids. Turns out it was way easier to make friends as kids as it is to make friends as moms. Also, it’s good to note, sometimes we don’t need to improve the system. Writing a note “Will you be my friend, check yes or no” still feels like a valid approach. This week we discuss making friends, keeping friends, and the difference between in...

We resume discussion of the Surviving Summer. It doesn’t have to suck. There are ways to make it fun for everyone without breaking the bank. Lots and lots of things to do to keep the kids engaged, out of brain rot mode, and not driving you bonkers with boredom. We go over a few ideas. Plus, Gwenna made a complete summer survival guide as a free download! Check it out if you’re out of ideas or if y...

Summertime is nearly upon us. Closer for some than others but the school year is wrapping up and these kids are about to be home all day. Every day. Why are summers so hard for parents? Tori and Gwenna try to deconstruct why summers kinda suck and discuss a few ways to make them suck a little less. At least that’s what they try to do. They get distracted. A lot. What are your favorite summer activ...

Today’s episode of the Childproof Podcast is diving back into our email box and comment sections to hear what you have to say. We beg you to email us all the time and it only feels fair that we share with the rest of the class. If you have a question, comment, or idea for the show please email us at childproofmail@gmail.com or leave us a comment. This episode is proof we do actually read them just...

American cheese may or may not be food. Blue is a flavor. As is purple. Cosplayers and Sports Fans are basically the same. Raisins are definitely not food. There is crying in the zombie apocalypse. These are the hills we shall defend until the bitter end. And this episode makes no sense. We’re not going to pretend otherwise. Enjoy. And be sure to email us to argue about any of these hills we are w...

We know we have to let our kids mess up. We have to let them learn. Sometimes we have to let them learn the hard way. They mess up and they have to find out. This episode of Childproof covers just what it takes when we have to take a step back and let our kids find out. Disclaimer: Sensitive viewers & listeners take note, death, dying, grieving, pet loss, family loss, and funerals are mentioned an...

What happens when two sarcastic people make children together? You end up with a kid who is genetically built to be sarcastic. That’s what. Ask us how we know. This episode we are talking kid jokes, learning time and place, how sarcasm can still be empathetic, and then more kid jokes. We like kid jokes. Merch: Click Here Tori's History Series: Click HereFind Gwenna's new book, "The Soul's Guide to...

Being a twenty-first century parent is a lot. You have to find time for yourself while prioritizing yourself. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself. Be yourself. But how are you supposed to do that when these kids rely on you for almost everything. How do you find time to be yourself, or even remember who you are while parenting? The answer: we don’t know but here’s a few things...

Sometimes you gotta do it anxious. There’s a difference between feeling anxious and living with anxiety. No matter what level of anxious you feel, you still have to parent and adult and work and live. This episode we discuss how anxiety impacts us, how we help our kids process their anxiety, and how anxiety isn’t all bad all the time.  We want to hear from you, email us: Childproofmail@gmail.com Y...

Your kid is sick. Is it time for an ice pack and a nap? Or is it doctor time? When do you give Tylenol? Is Motrin safe for babies? Did I do something that got my kid lice? What do you mean my kid can’t wear their coat in their car seat? Parents hit up Google a lot. This episode of Childproof dives a little deeper and provides real-time parenting insight to some of the most common reasons parents f...

We like to read. We really like to read. Books have been a constant companion of both Tori and Gwenna and we are working on passing that love of reading on. It’s a slower process that we expected with some of our kids. Others jumped right in. This episode we discuss how we help our kids choose books, series they love, series we love, and how we find time as parents to read. (Spoiler: Mostly audiob...

Will it work for everyone? Absolutely not. There’s no one right way to raise kids. And sometimes you get to look at a rule and say Nope. We can’t do it that way. It won’t work for us. From approaching hair color and makeup to what our kids can consume for media, we set the boundaries and hope we got it right?  Youtube: Click Here Ban This Book: Click Here We love hearing from you, email us: childp...

Ever look at a common idea or behavior and think “Nope. That’s not for me.” Cuz same. Today on Childproof Tori and Gwenna discuss come of their most Chaotic Good Parenting choices. From perfect attendance to censoring music with some stops in virtual learning, mental health days, and shocking toll booth attendants.  Youtube: Click Here Email us at childproofmail@gmail.com with your ideas, suggesti...

This week we hit the inbox for your emails. Which means we are all over the place. We touch on parenting through an age gap, losing the game (iykyk), weedwhackers & whippersnappers, imagination hour, cold weather whining and so much more. If you’d like to be included in a future episode please email us at Childproofmail@gmail.com and you could hear your ideas on the podcast.  Youtube: Click Here L...

Moms do a lot of different jobs. Chef, Nurse, Event Planner, Administrative Assistant, Teacher. Some folks call this wearing different hats. We think it’s more like having different brains. We have to switch from mom brain to mom brain and sometimes that’s hard. Sometimes it’s impossible. Sometimes we struggle. On this episode we discuss why that is and ways to make switching modes just a little e...

Empathy is a learned skill and you can start teaching at day zero. Our kids are more capable of empathy and understanding than we tend to think. This episode of the Childproof Podcast tackles empathy: what it is, how we teach it, and how to use it safely. Can you get empathetically burnt out? (Spoiler: Yeah) How do you set boundaries on empathy so you don’t wreck your own mental health? (Spoiler:...

Gwenna and Tori are back this week! What even happened? Tori and Gwenna discuss everything that happened on their break, from why they had a break to how many kids were sick. They also revisit the routines they have been trying to establish and introduce a new segment, "Hyperfixation of the Week". Tori talks about Hamilton at least twice. To watch on YouTube: Click HERE Learn more about your ad ch...

This week, Gwenna and Tori share some sad - but ultimately exciting - news. Childproof is parting ways with Betches Media, but the show lives on! We're going on a short break for the holidays, and to get situated, but there will be a new episode dropping in January. Plus, all future episodes will be going up on YouTube as well, along with a ton of exciting video content on both of our channels! St...

Context matters when you want to call your brother a Silly Pumpkin Doo-Doo Head. This week, Gwenna and Tori discuss the complexities of sibling dynamics with your kids, from fairness in gift giving, to baby tooth envy, and how to explain when name calling crosses the boundary from playful to mean. They compare notes on what to do when your kids are fighting, how to foster each of their individual...

Have a melancholy Christmas, it is…a time of year. This week, Gwenna and Tori share their struggle to get into the holiday spirit, and the way they're living vicariously through their kids' joy. They unpack the feeling of inadequacy wrapped up in Elf on a Shelf, the unrealistic expectations that social media sets us up for, and quality over quantity when it comes to gifts for your kids. Sometimes,...

Sometimes, you just have to push through the discomfort and get really specific. This week, Gwenna and Tori discuss what moms actually want for the holidays, how to give a truly thoughtful gift that won't break the bank, and demystifying the idea that you are "hard to shop for." Don't forget to think about yourself for once - after all, if you don't know what you want, how is anyone else supposed...

It’s always parenting on hard mode when you’re parenting anywhere else but home territory. This week, Gwenna and Tori share their ultimate Thanksgiving food rankings for both eating and cooking, and Gwenna vents about the nightmare of holiday house hopping. Then, they share some helpful tips for ways that child-free people hosting Thanksgiving can prepare their house for young kids (consider the f...

Your best is still your best when you don't have as much to give. This week, Gwenna and Tori talk all about emotions, what to do with them, and how to feel your feelings without making them everyone else's problem. They get into their coping mechanisms, how to teach your kids about processing their emotions, and the ways we co-regulate with other adults both IRL and online. Whether your head hurts...

Good parents never stop thinking they’re doing a bad job; bad parents never stop to wonder if they’re doing a good one. This week, Gwenna and Tori turn to the Childproof inbox to read your emails, and share some thoughts of their own. Much to Gwenna's dismay, it turns out Surge *did* have a short-lived revival. And much to Tori's dismay, the debate about what part of NY is actually Upstate appears...

Just because you've never *seen* a tiger robot stuffy, that doesn't meant it doesn't exist. This week, Gwenna and Tori are here to help distract you from the news cycle with a mini games episode. They share their latest cute kid-isms ("My leg brains forgot"), pet updates, thoughts on all the most nostalgic foods from their own childhood (do Lunchables actually taste worse now or have our tastebuds...