Slate Advice

On this episode Elizabeth Newcamp, Zak Rosen, and Lucy Lopez help a listener whose toddler has suddenly developed what looks a lot like panic attacks at preschool. Nothing seems wrong at school… but the girl’s dad has been deployed for a while. What’s happening here, and how can you soothe someone so little about such big stuff? Elizabeth wants to share these resources:  Military One Source Sesame...

In this episode, Cheryl Strayed (Dear Sugar and Tiny Beautiful Things) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about whether it’s a good idea to offer to be your platonic best friend’s housewife, how to handle a husband’s disturbing body odors, and what an overachieving eldest millennial daughter can do to find happiness. If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus,...

On this episode: Elizabeth, Zak and Lucy help a listener who’s pretty sure they smelled marijuana when their young teen and a friend got in the car. The parent is wondering if they should have said something… but if so, what? And when is really too young? We’ll also go over our week in parenting triumphs and fails — including an update on Henry’s solo trip in Tokyo — and share some listener mail w...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler examine their most habitual work routines and think of new ways to improve them. For Isaac, it’s all about switching up your physical workspace, while June likes to audit her creative expenses and get rid of unnecessary subscriptions. Both of them have encountered the anxious feelings of what to do with your day once a...

Danny Lavery and Madeline Ducharme join Bryan in taking on your uniquely queer queries, like- what to do when your facial piercing helps everyone remember your name- but you can’t remember theirs. White lies about homophobia, queer kids coming out, philosophical questions, and more in this latest round of Outward advice.  Podcast production by Palace Shaw.

Andrew snores so badly that his cats won’t sleep in the same room as him. He’s desperate to sleep better at night, and breathe more easily during the day. On this episode of How To!, we bring on James Nestor, author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, to share the history of why we breathe the way we do. Turns out being a “mouth-breather” is more than just an insult, it’s harmful to our heal...

On this episode Elizabeth Newcamp, Zak Rosen, and Lucy Lopez weigh in on a classic question: what school is right for your family? Our letter writers’ kid is gifted and their family has fallen in love with a local private school — but they’re also grappling with some guilt. How important is it to give your kid the best, if it also means putting them in a privilege bubble?  They also share some pro...

In this episode, our first-ever married couple, Liz Neely and Ed Yong, join Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when you discover your birthday gift and hate it, how to avoid losing respect for a partner who procrastinates, and whether it’s a problem if romantic daydreams are starting to stifle real-life relationships. If you want more Dear Prudence, join...

On this episode: Zak Rosen and Elizabeth Newcamp welcome Lucy Lopez to the team as our fourth regular host.  The three of them tackle a letter from a listener who’s dreading the return to work after a year off with their newborn. We’ll offer some advice for how to soften the emotional blow and smooth out the logistical snarls — and, how to find new moments to cherish. We’ll also dive into our week...

Small talk has a bad reputation. It’s boring, shallow, and awkward. Who really wants to talk about the weather, again? But, when done right, it can be a cornerstone of connection. In this episode, Carvell Wallace is joined by Susan McPherson, the author of The Lost Art of Connecting. Susan is going to help our listener, Bee, navigate the uncomfortable small talk that she endures everyday at school...

In this episode, Jamelle Bouie (New York Times opinion columnist) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to turn down gifts that make you cringe, what to do when you discover a sibling was given up for adoption before you were born, and when it’s too late to chase your dreams If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée an...

On this episode: Zak Rosen, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Jamilah Lemieux help a listener who’s thrilled that she and her siblings all had kids in 2022 — but, as those babies become toddlers, the temptation to compare the cousins is strong. How can this no-drama mama prevent herself and her siblings from falling into this trap… not to mention grandparents and partners? We’ll also dive into our week in tr...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler expand their world by exploring the senses we often neglect. Isaac recounts a method acting technique of attaching a memory or feeling to a specific scent, or color from our past. June remembers the sight of a dress made by a friend bringing back the memory of childhood Christmas chocolates. They also dive into other s...

Sometimes reading our news feeds can feel like getting hit by a semi-truck of devastating information, without really knowing how to respond. We can’t always tune the world out, which means we need to figure out how to be an empathetic person within the chaos. In this episode, Courtney Martin is joined by public theologian and best-selling author, Nadia Bolz-Weber, as well as artist and activist,...

On this episode: Zak Rosen, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Jamilah Lemieux help a listener who is fed up. Her husband works a lot and when he is around he’s only ‘fun dad.’ Upon experiencing burnout, the letter writer asked her husband to pitch in more—to which he suggested ‘hire a nanny.’ Elizabeth, Jamilah, and Zak have suggestions for rebalancing the relationship. They also share recommendations and th...

In this episode, Nicole Chung (author of A Living Remedy and All You Can Ever Know) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers dilemmas about a husband who wants to give up travel for grandpa duty, a partner who’s becoming really pushy about issues around adoption, and an engagement ring that could use a little work. If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s...

On this episode: Zak, Elizabeth and Jamilah ring in the new year with a name change. We’re now Care & Feeding!  For our first advice of 2024, the hosts help a listener who funds their 18-year-old’s life — but the prospect of a tattoo has the listener second-guessing. Should they try to stop their kid from doing something they might regret (with their parents’ money)... or has that train already le...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… new year, new you?  If you’ve resolved to make 2024 your happiest, healthiest, most organized, most peaceful, etc. year yet? You’re not alone. And if you’re pretty sure the people who have made resolutions are doomed to abandon ship before January is over… you’re not alone, either. Nor are you wrong, exactly. In the season of giving, getting, and evaluating self-...

When he’s not working on How To! or coaching his daughter’s basketball team, our producer Derek John loves to play in pickup games with friends. But a serious on-court injury has kept him on the sidelines for months. Now, as he prepares to return to the sport he loves, Derek is seeking tips on how to prolong his playing days while avoiding another injury. In this episode, author Jeff Bercovici joi...

On today’s episode brought to us Slate’s Outward, hosts Jules Gill-Peterson and Bryan Lowder, are joined by advice expert Danny Lavery to talk through some relationship issues. They share their thoughts on expectations around divorce as queer people, low self-esteem, and why shaming someone over hygiene might not be a bad idea. If you have a question or need some advice, email us: outwardpodcast@s...

On this episode: Our favorite Plus segments of 2023. Jamilah, Elizabeth, and Zak step back in time to talk tips for winter break, the photos our kids take of us, respecting those kids’ privacy when we talk about them on air, the social media accounts we’re loving, and the parenting trends we wish would disappear. Remember: we’re changing names in 2024! We’re so excited to become Care & Feeding and...

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler discuss the value of finding people who can help take work off your plate and let you focus on your primary tasks. Isaac found employing a research assistant for both his books was an integral part of discovering and collating details. June has utilized software programs to stay productive and organized, yet both hosts...

In this episode, Josie Duffy Rice (host of Crooked Media’s What a Day) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers discussing racially charged Next Door drama, a man who asks his girlfriend to butter his dinner rolls, and how to nicely ask a loved one to wash their hands after using the bathroom. If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Je...

Here at How To! headquarters, we give and receive a lot of good advice. This year we learned to love our faces, started reading again, aced an interview, dealt with difficult parents, said goodbye to our pets, cooked chaotically, moved to a new country, navigated adult autism, and breathed like Navy SEALs. On this episode, co-hosts Carvell Wallace and Courtney Martin are joined by former host Aman...

On this episode: the best way to show a solo parent you’re here for them—even if you live far away. Jamilah Lemieux, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen also debate what to do if your kid is constantly coming home from school with gifts. Then they discuss How To ‘Un-Spoil’ Your Kid, According To Parenting Experts by Kelsey Borresen.  Join us on Facebook and email us at momanddad@slate.com to ask us n...