Parenting Roundabout

Here's what we're reading, recommending, and revisiting this week. Catherine's library find  comes from the adult nonfiction section this week:  Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive  by Eliot Stein. She can't vouch for the author (yet) but thinks this could be an entertaining and illuminating trip around the world. ​ Terri's random reco...

Every Wednesday, we share our thoughts on a newer entertainment property. Right now, we're watching  A Man on the Inside . In this episode, we found out that you can't escape the PTA, even in a senior living residence, and that Charles and his daughter make a great team. Mentioned: a  Spectrum TV ad  in which a kid springs a project on his dad at bedtime,  LinkedIn games , a  hot buttered rum  rec...

Each Tuesday, we discuss an older entertainment property, and currently, that's  Lost . The meeting of the tail-section and mid-section survivors seemed to be more of a gentle tap than a violent collision, but it led us to the Reunions Montage at the end: Sawyer and Kate! Michael and Vincent! Rose and Bernard! Sun and Jin! Jack and some woman he met in a bar at the airport! Next Tuesday, we'll con...

Here's what we're reading, recommending, and revisiting this week. Catherine's library find  ties in nicely with our new TV series watch, A Man on the Inside . It's a nonfiction children's book called  Animal Snoops: The Wondrous World of Wildlife Spies  by Peter Christie. Check it out if you've got a kid who's fascinated by fauna, or by covert ops. ​ Terri's random recommendation  this week is  o...

Every Wednesday, we share our thoughts on a newer entertainment property. We recently started the Netflix comedy series  A Man on the Inside . Ted Danson stars as Charles, a widower who's hired to go undercover at a retirement home to solve a burglary case. But there's plenty of parenting to be found here, as Charles's daughter Emily deals with three teens doing stupid teen things. Next Wednesday,...

Each Tuesday, we discuss an older entertainment property, and currently, that's  Lost . This episode caught us up on what's been happening with the tail-section survivors. And what's been happening is pretty grim. Their leader, Ana Lucia, has all the responsibilities of a leader with absolutely no benefits. As moms, we relate. Next Tuesday, we'll continue with season 2, episode 8, "Collision." Tom...

Here's what we're watching, recommending, and revisiting this week. Catherine's library find  is an old Hallmark movie called  Christmas at Cartwright's   that grabbed her attention with its name--since she used to share it. To her knowledge, there aren't any real department stores called Cartwright's, though.  ​ Terri's random recommendation this week is also store-adjacent. She suggests visiting...

Every Wednesday we share our thoughts on a newer entertainment property. Today, we're kicking off our watch of the new Netflix comedy series  A Man on the Inside , starring Ted Danson and Stephanie Beatriz. We very much enjoyed the first episode, from spotting familiar  The Good Place  faces to the embrace of physical newspapers and snail mail. Next Wednesday, we'll continue with season 1, episode...

Each Tuesday, we discuss an older entertainment property, and currently, that's  Lost . Things go from bad (in flashback) to much, much worse (on the island) for Shannon in this one, as we meet her evil stepmother and then she meets not The Others, but the Tailies. Meanwhile, Locke adds to his Island Dad cred by teaching Claire how to swaddle the baby. Next Tuesday, we'll continue with season 2, e...

Here's what we're reading, recommending, and revisiting this week. Catherine's library find  is  Cranky , by Phuc Tran with illustrations by Pete Oswald. It's a picture book starring a crabby crane who does not want to talk about what's bothering him, so don't ask! Mentioned: The  Food Group series , also illustrated by Oswald. ​ Terri's random recommendation  this week is some Apple synergy: Appl...

Every week, we share our thoughts on a newer entertainment property. Currently, that's season 2 of  Shrinking . It wrapped up this week with a grand gesture of forgiveness befitting of the season's theme. It also added "magnanimous" to Derrick 2's character traits, to go along with "hot." We'll miss these characters a lot and are looking forward to season 3 (coming in 2026).  ​ Next week, we'll ki...

Each Tuesday, we discuss an older entertainment property, and currently, that's  Lost . This episode went nowhere, much like our survivors; it gave us a bit more of Sun and Jin's story in flashback, but nothing very important. We could, however, relate to both Sun's and Michael's foolhardy desperation to do something  in a situation they can't control. Next Tuesday, we'll continue with season 2, e...

Here's what we're reading, recommending, and revisiting this week. Catherine's library find  is   The Change  by Kirsten Miller, a novel of revenge and crime-fighting fueled by menopausal women's rage (which made it very satisfying). ​ Terri's random recommendation  this week is the  Rosary in a Year podcast , a chart-topper offering a deep dive into this prayer (perfect for the new year). Mention...

Every week, we share our thoughts on a newer entertainment property. Currently, that's season 2 of Shrinking. This episode included one unnecessary break-up, one child who gave a parent a dose of their own medicine, and one person who's possibly in the wrong profession. Mentioned:  Disney adults  and a  women-hanging-out scene  from Jerry Maguire. ​ Next week, we'll watch the finale of season 2, "...

Each Tuesday, we discuss an older entertainment property, and currently, that's  Lost . On the island, poor Hurley got stuck with a thankless job, while in flashback, he got a scolding from his mom that we found relatable. Elsewhere, we learned more about the Dharma Initiative bunker and the tail-section survivors. ​ Next Tuesday, we'll continue with season 2, episode 5, "...and Found." Tomorrow,...

Here's what we're reading, recommending, and revisiting this week. Catherine's library find  is a resource that you can most likely find at your own library:  Newspapers.com , a repository of archives from all over the U.S. and six other countries. Find your great-grandparents' wedding announcement or read up on crimes like the Panama Hat Heist of 1904. ​ Terri's random recommendation  this week i...

Every week, we share our thoughts on a newer entertainment property. Currently, that's season 2 of  Shrinking . On this episode, a parent tried and ultimately failed to make a child's birthday special, and a child tried to set boundaries with a parent--which also didn't go very well. But at least Liz is back to her snarky self. ​ Next week, we'll watch season 2, episode 11, "The Drugs Don't Work.”...

Each Tuesday, we discuss an older entertainment property, and currently, that's  Lost . On this episode, we met a few of the threatening Others that Jin warned us about at the end of the previous episode, re-met a survivor seen previously in flashback, and heard yet again that Locke wasn't always the tough guy he is now. Mentioned:  Game show challenges for parents  and Mouse Rat's song " The Pit...

Every week, we share our thoughts on a newer entertainment property. Currently, that's season 2 of Shrinking . There were a lot of parenting and family breakthroughs in this episode, along with a little more comic relief than we got last time (thanks, Sean).  ​ Next week, we'll watch season 2, episode 10, "Changing Patterns.” (Yes, we're watching this a few weeks behind its initial drops. That's p...

While we’re celebrating New Year’s with our families, we bring you this relic of podcasts past: A speed round devoted to our resolutions for the coming year. That year was 2020, but … yeah, we’re still rolling them over. And since this is a replay, you'll hear from our old pal Nicole Eredics. We miss you, Nicole!

Each Tuesday, we discuss an older entertainment property, and currently, that's  Lost . Along with Michael flashbacks and the aftermath of Walt's kidnapping and the raft explosion, this episode revisited the in-the-hatch events of the prior one. So we got some time and pacing weirdness to go along with all the other island weirdness. Next Tuesday, we'll continue with season 2, episode 3, "Orientat...

On Wednesdays (usually), we share our thoughts on a newer entertainment property. Currently, that's season 2 of Shrinking, a happy fun sitcom that does its best to make us cry every week. This was an extra-sad one, with many characters facing the consequences of their actions (Liz, Derek, Louis, Jimmy) and their mortality (Paul). Like we said, fun and happy! Mentioned: Shrinking playlists on Apple...

While we’re celebrating Christmas with our families, we bring you this relic of Christmas past: One of the only original podcast episodes we put out on Christmas day, back in 2019. As you’ll see, we don’t take vacations from complaining. We'll be back tomorrow with our discussion of  Shrinking , season 2, episode 8, "Last Drink."

Each Tuesday, we discuss an older entertainment property, and currently, that's  Lost . In this season 2 kickoff, we meet a new character, get yet another Jack flashback, and watch both Locke and Kate take a dive down into the hatch. Mentioned: Our  discussion of a  Good Place  scene  that called back to the opening of this  Lost  episode. Next Tuesday, we'll continue with season 2, episode 2, "Ad...

Here's what we're reading, recommending, and revisiting this week. Catherine's library find is a board book that's ostensibly for babies... about  electrical engineering . Better yet, it has a Christmas theme! (And it's part of a whole series of  science-themed board books ). We'll stick with colors, shapes, and ABCs, thanks. ​ Terri's random recommendation  this week is a lighter topic than elect...